How to be Dovahkiin
by smhall1205
Summary: Just when Hiccup thought his life was returning to normal, even more trouble falls into his lap in the form of a foreign invasion of his home. When it seems everything is against them, the Hooligans are visited by someone long lost in the history of Berk. Can they trust him to help them, and who is the one they call 'Dovahkiin'
1. Chapter 1 - Your First Dragon

The morning's sunrise was a breath-taking display of radiant colours. Bright streaks of red, pink, and orange slowly overcame the dark blue and purple of the twilight sky. The sky resembled a prism; all the colours blended perfectly into each other. The sun itself was just peeking out of the horizon, and its brilliant rays already shined brightly and began to warm the air.

Hiccup was completing his morning flight around Berk. He marvelled at the glistening reflection of the sun on the ocean and a thrilling feeling of awe swept over him. His morning flights had become part of his daily routine, gliding across the entire island, and that day, everything seemed to be in order. A small crew of fishing boats were anchored just off shore, bringing in the days catch of Salmon and Cod. The larger fields on the south side of the island were being harvested after the spring rain had provided plenty of crops, and a team of Timberjacks and their trainers we're cutting timber in the forests.

It was these flights that Hiccup enjoyed the most. It gave him an opportunity to oversee everything his people were getting up to, making sure they were all safe. After the business with Drago Bludvist and his dragon army, Hiccup had plenty on his mind. Even through it had been over 4 years since the incident, Berk was still not quite back to normal. It had taken them almost 6 months to thaw the ice from the Bewilderbeast that had covered most of the village. Homes were still being repaired, fields re-ploughed and crops re-sown.

The academy had reopened a few weeks after the war with Drago, and it couldn't have come a moment too soon. Hundreds of new dragons now called Berk their home, and as the Head of the Academy, it was his responsibility to train them all and find them new riders. A group of excited teenage Vikings had been jumping around for the joy the previous evening when he informed them that they had been chosen to become the riders of a group of Rumblehorns. It was those kinds of moments that made Hiccup proudest of all, that other Vikings could share in his passion for dragons, a fact that seemed almost impossible 9 years ago when he was a teenager.

Yet despite all his achievements in the academy, Hiccup now had a much greater responsibility on his shoulders. Being chief was something he knew would one day become his burden, but he never expected it to befall on him at the age of 20. Ever since the death of father, Hiccup had been almost running himself ragged taking charge of the village, ensuring that there was always enough food, water and shelter available.

Negotiating new peace treaties with a number of their neighbouring tribe meant he was traveling a lot, and the archipelago was not exactly a small place. After he had completed his map a few months previous, he finally saw just how vast it was, and he travelled to almost every single island. It was exhausting work, he had often gone over 48 hours with no sleep.

Hiccup felt a well of sadness build up in his chest. He experienced it every time he thought about his father, his strong physique, big presence amongst his people, even his stubbornness at times, his vibrant green eyes and bright red hair. Stoick had been a great leader, admired across the entire archipelago, and now he was gone. Hiccup had some incredibly big shoes to fill, but he was determined to make his father proud.

As he made his final swoop across Raven Point, Hiccup was finally satisfied that the village was taking care of itself for the morning.

"Okay bud, that's the rounds done, now let's get to the academy, I dread to think what the twins might be doing with those Rumblehorns"

Hiccup cooed excitedly in response. Hiccup clicked the gears with his prosthetic and sped towards the academy, flying over the village square as he did so, waving to everyone who waved to him first. The academy had grown considerably in the past few years to accommodate all the new dragons now living on Berk. The stables had been expanded to hold over 50 dragons at once, with feeding stations scattered across their hallways. The main arena was now only used for advanced dragon training lessons, so three smaller training rings had been built on the hills overlooking the bay.

As he flew closer, Hiccup could see most of his friends conducting their daily routines around the academy. A group of younger Vikings, maybe 10 or 11 years old, were sitting in one of the open air classrooms, being delivered a lecture by Fishlegs into the feeding habits of the Smouldering Smokebreaths. Snotlout was helping a group of teen's fit their saddles to a flock of Gronkles. Thankfully, the twins were pre-occupied by themselves arguing over which dragon was faster, Barf or Belch. Hiccup could only laugh as he watched the squabbling siblings argue, despite the fact they actually rode the same dragon.

Moving the gear into landing positions, Hiccup swooped down to the main gates, touching down on a small landing platform reserved for the dragon trainers. He gave Toothless a scratch behind the ears, making his friend gurgle with approval, before dismounting.

"Where have you been?" came a voice from behind him. Hiccup smiled before turning round. He didn't need to see who was there, he recognised that Voice anywhere.

Astrid slowly climbed the stone steps up to the landing platform. Her long blonde hair blowing slightly in the breeze, bangs covering the left side of her forehead, with a braided ponytail in back. Hiccup had always wondered to himself how he managed to make her fall in love with him. She could have had her pick of any eligible bachelor on Berk, but she had chosen him, a man someone had once described as 'the worst Viking Berk had ever seen'. Hiccup felt the same lump in his throat as he recalled that conversation with Stoick.

"Oh you know, morning rounds, running the village, general chiefly stuff" Hiccup replied as she reached to top of the stairs.

"Well when I woke up this morning you had already gone, so I never had a chance to give you this…"

Astrid proceeded to punch him square on the arm. Hiccup winced slightly, she still packed a mean punch. He rubbed the now throbbing part of his arm, starting at her with a look that cried out 'Why would you do that?', but all he got in response was a chuckle from his girlfriend.

"That's for leaving your armour all over the floor last night….." Astrid slowly approached him, before taking his hand in hers and planting a dainty kiss on his lips. Hiccup immediately melted inside, she knew exactly how to push his buttons. Their lips separated with a light pop, Hiccup grinning like a fool back at her, which only made her smile wider.

"And that is for everything else last night". She shot his a seductive wink before skipping off back down the steps. For the moment, Hiccup was rooted to the spot, admiring her beautiful form as she reached the bottom of the stair before disappearing into the main arena. Hiccup never thought he could feel this way about anyone, but he loved Astrid more than life itself. He had lost so many things in his life, suffered so much pain, he was determined to never let her go.

Toothless nudged him gently in the back, snapping Hiccup back to reality.

"Oh sorry bud, got a bit caught up in the moment there. Anyway, you ready to train some Rumblehorns?"

Toothless purred in response, and bounded down the stairs, his tongue hanging from the side of his mouth like a puppy. Hiccup shook his head in amusement, slowly following his friend down the stairs into the arena.

A large group of teenagers were sitting across the main arena on a group of barrels, talking amongst themselves in excited voices about getting their very own dragons. Astrid was leaning against the outer gates, her arms crossed with a smile across her face. This was her favourite part of the job, helping young Vikings pick out their first dragons. Hiccup approached the group of teens, whose chatter had shifted to what they were going to name their dragons. Most of the boys wanted manly names, like Thunder, Firestorm, Shockwave and other such names, the girls however were not that impressed with the boys' choices.

"Good morning guys, so, are you all ready to choose your first dragon?" Hiccup asked enthusiastically. Unfortunately, the teens paid him no head, and continued to talk amongst themselves.

"Uh…..guys…If I could just…"

"I hope my dragon is the biggest" one of the teen males said to the group

"No way man, mine is gonna' be biggest"

"…get your attention for a minute". Hiccup tried to interject, but again had no luck

"Your crazy man, mine will be the biggest"

"In your dreams"

"Clearly it will be mine"

PPPPPPIIIIIIIHHHHHHHH!

The ear splitting whistle noise made all the Viking teens cover their ears to escape the sound. Hiccup let the whistle drop from his lips, staring at the group until they all quietened down. He gaze Astrid a quick glaze as she raised her eyebrow with a small smirk on her face.

"Right, now that I've got your attention, I need to tell you a few things about the Rumblehorn before you choose one of them as your dragon"

The teens all took a seat before Hiccup continued.

"The Rumblehorn is a Tracker class dragon, meaning it has a highly acute sense of smell to track and find things. They have a powerful long tail that can be used as a club, so you need to be careful with them. Basically the Rumblehorn looks like a mix of truffle pig, a rhinoceros, a battle axe, and a scarab beetle"

This last comment caused a few of the teens to giggle under their breath. Hiccup huffed in annoyance and looked to Astrid for guidance, but she was also trying to hide her concealed laughter. Hiccup narrowed his eyes at her, but this only made her laugh more. He could never look that threatening, no matter how much he tried, he always ended up looking slightly odd.

Hiccup waited until the giggling had died down.

"Are we all finished?" he asked, as the teens finally stopped sniggering. "Good, then let's bring in the dragons, remember, when you approach one of them, hold out your hand and turn your head away, it's a sign of trust"

Hiccup walked over to the outer gates to where Astrid was standing. She walked towards him and gave him a quick peck on the cheek.

"Quiet the show"

Hiccup shrugged and smiled back at her.

"Yeah, all part of the territory I guess, well shall we mi' lady"

Astrid smiled back at Hiccup as the each pulled open the outer gates, ushering in the herd of Rumblehorns who had been grazing on the other side. The ground shook slightly as each dragon stepped into the arena. Slowly but surely, the Viking teens walked towards the dragons, each one holding out there hand and turning their head, just as Hiccup had instructed, causing the smile on Hiccups face to broaden.

The dragons approached the group of teens, sniffing at their hands, taking in their scent, before placing their snouts into their hands. Most of the teens breathed a huge sigh of relief as their new dragon companions nuzzled up against them, but out of the corner of his eye, he saw one of the young teen girls, staring straight into the eyes of one of the Rumblehorns, her eyes wide with fear, her knees shaking and knocking together. Hiccup and Astrid slowly approached the pair, being careful not to startle the dragon

"Sigrid, stay calm, just hold out your hand and turn your head like I taught you" Hiccup said softly, as he approached the Rumblehorn. Astrid walked behind Sigrid, taking her arm and slowly raising it up with her palm extended.

"Now just turn your head away slowly, you can do it" Astrid whispered to her. Sigrid was still almost frozen in fear, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't take her eyes of the dragon in front of her. The Rumblehorn slowly started to growl menacingly at the girl. "Come on Sigrid, you can do this" Astrid repeated, squeezing the girls arm softly, but it was no use.

The dragon emitted a roar and charged towards the pair. Astrid tried to pull Sigrid out of the way, but she was rooted to the spot. She looked up as the dragon drew ever closer, opening its jaws to reveal a row of razor sharp teeth. The ground shook violently as the angry beast got closer and closer.

"ASTRID, LOOK OUT!" Hiccup dove and tackled Astrid and Sigrid out of the way just before the dragon charged through where they had just been standing. The three Vikings thudded into the cobblestone floor, Hiccup smacking his elbow hard onto the stones, grimacing with palm. Quickly he pushed the pain out of his mind, got to his feet and stood between the two girls and the angry dragon, who had turned and was charging back towards them.

Toothless bounded to Hiccups side, roaring wildly at the charging dragon. Hiccup placed his hand on his friends head, scratching lightly to calm him down, holding up his hand to the Rumblehorn and slowly turned his face away. The dragon charged towards then, but began to slow down as it approached, before finally coming to a stop in front of Hiccup. The Rumblehorn sniffed Hiccups hand, sniffed again, before finally placing it's snout into his fingers. Hiccup breathed a sigh of relief as he turned to face the dragon, scratching it lightly on the snout, receiving a happy coo in reply. Hiccup removed his other hand front Toothless head, and signalled to the Rumblehorn to return to the pen, which it did in slow lumbering steps. Once the dragon was back beyond the outer gate, Hiccup pulled the lock shut before running back to Astrid and Sigrid.

"Hey, are you guys okay?" Hiccup asked, helping Astrid to her feet. Astrid brushed herself off before hugging him tightly round the neck. Toothless gurgled and nuzzled his head against the pair.

"Yes, we're fine, thank you" Hiccup wrapped his arms around her waist as Astrid buried her face into his shoulder. Hiccup breathed easy once more as he held her close, relieved that she wasn't hurt. The couple broke their embrace before noticing Sigrid still sitting on the floor, her face covered by her hands, letting out small sobs.

"Hey, hey Sigrid, it's okay, you did your best" said Hiccup, squeezing her shoulder. Astrid wrapped her arm around Sigrid's other shoulder, trying her best to comfort the young girl.

"I'm….I'm so sorry Hiccup….I don't know what happened…..I….I just froze." Tears were hitting the ground with a soft patter. Hiccup looked to the rest of the young Vikings, who were all standing next to their Rumblehorns observing what had just happened.

"Don't worry Sigrid, these things happen, maybe a Rumblehorn isn't the dragon for you, we'll try again tomorrow" Astrid helped the young girl to her feet, brushing the dirt off her back "But for now, why don't you go home and rest. Do you want me to walk you back to the Village?"

Sigrid shook her head, wiping the tears from her eyes.

"No, I can walk myself back, thank you" Sigrid hugged Astrid briefly before turning towards the exit, her eyes meeting Hiccups briefly. He nodded encouragingly to her, and a small, but noticeable smile crept onto her face as she headed back to the village.

"Well….that's not exactly the way I thought this morning would go" Hiccup sighed, running his hand through his hair. Astrid took his other hand, intertwining her fingers with his, before planting a kiss on his lips, which Hiccup was more than happy to reciprocate. Every kiss with Astrid sent fireworks off in his heart.

Astrid broke the kiss before motioning over her shoulder at the other Vikings. Hiccup blushed slightly as the group sniggered under their breath.

"Hey one day you guys will feel the same way as I do!" Hiccup cried, laughing as he did so. Astrid chuckled and smiled along with the rest of the group. "But enough about me being in love…" he shoot a small wink to Astrid, "….you've got your dragons, go get your saddles, it's time to go flying"


	2. Chapter 2 - Where are They?

"Do you mean to tell me, that you, my most trusted mercenaries, have failed me?"

The three men knelt before the throne in the mead hall, heads bowed down, not only as a sign of respect, but also out of fear for looking him in the eyes. Torches lit on each column gave of an eerie glow, casting long shadows across the floor.

"Sire, please, we searched everywhere that the manuscripts told us it could be….we found nothing….we did as you asked"

Slumping back down into his throne, kicking one leg up over the armrest as he did so, an evil smirk across his face, Dagur the Deranged looked upon the men he had trusted with this very important missions.

"Do you realise how important this task is?" he asked menacingly, causing each of the kneeling mercenaries to shift nervously. Dagur grabbed a few rolls of parchment from the small table next to his throne. "If what these manuscripts say is true, with that kind of power, not only could I finally get rid of that little runt Hiccup, but I could conquer the entire archipelago, the entire world….so tell me again…..WHERE ARE THEY!"

The three men winced slightly at the volume of the voice screaming at them. Dagur was not a patient man, but was very violent and extremely unstable. His reputation across the archipelago was not understated, often performing erratic acts without thought or reason, other than to shed blood and kill. This impulsiveness makes him unpredictable, but even though he may be hyperactive as well as insane, nobody could question his skills as a leader.

"My lord, we don't know where they are, perhaps, perhaps your reading of the manuscripts…"

Dagurs' smirk quickly disappeared, replaced by a steely glare.

"Perhaps what?" he hissed

"…..perhaps they were…inaccurate?"

Dagur got up from his throne and slowly approached the mercenary. The quite thud of his boots on the stone floor nearly froze the mercenaries' heart in fear as the deranged chief drew closer. Dagur stopped in front of the man and knelt down. Using one finger, he lifted the man's chin, so he was looking dead into his eyes.

"Inaccurate" Dagur growled, his scowl furrowed his brows over his eyes, those dark brown eyes, flickering with rage. The mercenary didn't respond, out of fear that if he did, he would soon regret it.

"Sir, please forgive us, we did our best, we are still your servants and allies"

Dagurs scowl gave way to a sinister smile.

"Are you demanding that I discount your actions and rely on friendship?"

"We are asking, not demanding" replied the second mercenary.

"If I want to rule the world, I need to have all of those scrolls under my control, and if you fools cannot provide me with them, I will eliminate you entirely" Dagur emitted an evil chuckle as he stood upright and walked back up the stone stairs to his throne.

"You….intend to kills us, some of your most loyal…..and dearest subjects" stammered the third man, trembling with fear. Dagur sat back down in his throne, placing the manuscripts back onto the small table before leaning forward, resting his forearms on his knees.

"Of course not" replied Dagur

"You're letting us go, oh thank your Dagur, your will not regret….." before the mercenaries could finish speaking, Dagur nodded to three of his soldiers standing behind the mercenaries. In a flash, a rope wrapped around each of their necks, squeezing their windpipes, making it almost impossible to breathe. Dagur looked on, the sinister smile returning to his face.

"I will not tolerate failure, I will not tolerate excuses, and I absolutely will not tolerate anyone questioning my intelligence, do you understand"

The three mercenaries grabbed at the ropes around their necks, trying desperately to get some oxygen into their lungs, but the ropes became tighter and tighter, slowly sucking the life out of each man.

"I guess not, so what choice do you leave me?" Dagur watched as the colour drained from their faces, as they continued to claw at the ropes, but to no avail. Each of the mercenaries crumpled to the floor, and the ropes were finally removed. "Throw them into the ocean!" Dagur ordered to his soldiers as the bodies were removed. Dagur walked over to the window of the hall, resting his knuckles on the cold rock and staring out across his island.

Berserker Island truly was a dark place. Within the darkness around the island, any lights looked weak and unnatural, the water appeared inky black and any travellers who ventured there felt extremely cold. An ominous silence reigned in the background, no matter how much noise was being made by the Berserker inhabitants.

Dagur watched as his people went about their daily routines, gathering crops, cleaning and sharpening their weapons in the vast armoury, upgrading their fleet of war ships with new cannons and dragon trapping devices. He scrapped his fingernails across the stone, gritting his teeth in frustration.

He had spent the best part of 2 months pouring over the ancient manuscripts he had taken of a group of traveling Moth Priests, one of which was now being held prisoner in the dungeons. Initially he wanted to kill all of them, until one of his soldiers pointed out the unique skills the Moth Priests hold to read and decipher ancient texts and writings, so Dagur had kept one alive. As for the others, well it was safe to say they wouldn't be doing any readings for a long time.

These were no ordinary manuscripts he had acquired. They were written in an ancient language that had never seen before, in fact, he soon discovered that only a handful of people in whole archipelago had the knowledge to decipher them, all of them Moth Priests, so with one held captive, he had the means to decipher them.

Dagur ran over and over in his mind what the Moth Priest had told him.

_"__These manuscripts tell of a group of ancient artefacts of incredible power, bestowing upon an individual the ability to conquer the world, but at great risk, for if one who does not possess the skills to harness this power, will ultimately destroy themselves."_

Dagur didn't care about the old priests warning, he only wanted the power, and if he had to go through Hel to obtain it, then that's exactly what he would do. His through process was suddenly interrupted by a large bang as the door to the hall banged open.

"My Lord Dagur….." spoke a Berserker soldier who had entered the hall.

"Oh what is it now?!" Dagur moaned rather childishly, "I've had more than my share of bad news today, so this interruption better be worth my time"

The Berserker soldier smiled back at his chief.

"We've found one"

Dagur's eyes lit up and his jaw dropped slightly.

"You….found one…..where is it, BRING IT TO ME!" Dagur bellowed, walking quickly from the window to the centre of the hall. The berserker soldier stepped aside, allowing two more soldiers carrying a large dirt covered chest to ether the hall. Dagur almost began to hop with excitement, before regaining his composure. He did not want his men to see him hop around like an excited child at Snoggletog. The soldiers carrying the chest carefully placed it on a table close to the roaring fire in the centre of the hall. Dagur bounded up to it, pushing his men out of the way. He gazed upon the chest with gleaming eyes. After all this time of searching, he finally had one in his possession.

Dagur grabbed the lock of the chest and began to yank on it, trying desperately to get it open. The chest had obviously been hidden for many years, the wood was slightly rotted. The metal fixings on the joints of the chest had rusted quiet badly, as had the mechanisms on the lock. Dagur pulled and pulled, but could not break the lock.

"Well don't just stand there you idiots, GET THE THING OPEN NOW!" Dagur barked. After a quick flurry of activity, one soldier appeared with a long hooked metal bar, slamming it in to the gap between the lid and body of the chest.

Using all of his strength, the soldier began to pry the chest open, before a pinging noise echoed around the hall as the lock snapped. The chest flew open, causing the soldier to fall flat on his face. Dagur merely stepped over him, not even extending a hand to help. He approached the chest and gazed upon its content.

The long gold cylinder was adorned with precious gems and intricate runic carvings, which glistened in the light of the fire. Two handles, wrapped in brown leather straps stuck out of each end. Dagur slowly reached in and picked up the item, running his hand down the surprisingly warm metal, his eyes scanning every single piece of it.

"Bring the Moth Priest to me" Dagur ordered to one of his men, who bowed his head and turned on his heels towards the dungeons. Dagur turned back to the soldier who had entered first. "Where did you find it?"

"On a tiny land strip just south of Fort Sinister, dug it up just a few days ago"

Dagur grinned before turning his attention back to the gold cylinder.

"At last, I have it. With this, I will have a power greater than any in the world. Remember this day men, for today marks the start of the greatest revolution in history, and this is going to make it all possible….."

Dagur raised the item above his head,

"…..The Elder Scroll"


	3. Chapter 3 - Troublesome Teens

A flurry of activity was taking place within the arena, saddles were being fitted, excited teenagers looking forward to their first flight, and two proud dragon trainers standing to the side admiring the enthusiasm of their students.

"This is why I love this job" Astrid said happily, leaning into Hiccup.

"Yeah, me too. Could you have ever imagined this would ever happen on Berk?" Hiccup asked. Astrid shook her head before looking back to the group of teens preparing their dragons for their first ever flight.

Ever since Hiccup had become chief, Astrid had taken on a much more prominent role at the academy. As the second most experienced trainer, Hiccup had given her the honour of being Coordinator, a job that came with a great deal of responsibility. She basically ran the academy whenever Hiccup wasn't available, and since he became chief, it was a becoming less and less frequent that he ever had time to dedicate to the training of dragons. Astrid now appreciated Hiccup even more for the dedication he had shown, it was one of the many reasons she loved him, his resolve, his determination, and his unwillingness to give up on anything.

"How you managed to run this place for all those years I will never know"

Hiccup smiled, giving Astrid a kiss on the side of her temple.

"With great difficulty. Not everyone was as welcoming of the dragons as you were. Remember how Mildew reacted?"

The pair laughed together, remembering the crazy antics of the old man. Hiccup found one memory particularly funny, when Mildew had attempted to scare off a herd of Nadders who had been eating his crops, only to end up with several tail spikes embedded in his rear end. The girly screams he emitted whilst in the healers house had provided much amusement around Berk for many weeks after the incident.

The teens and their new Rumblehorns were almost ready to go, most of them had their saddles attached correctly, whilst a few others were making minor adjustments. Toothless and Stormfly stood by watching the newest dragon group prepare for their maiden flight, Toothless wagging his tail like an excited puppy.

"Don't worry bud, we'll show these guys how to really fly". Hiccup patted his friend softly on the head. At long last, the group was ready to go. Hiccup and Astrid mounted their dragons before turning to the group.

"Now remember guys, this is your first flight, so there are a couple of rules" Astrid spoke with a sure sense of authority. She commanded the respect of all the Vikings she trained, and they returned to her ten-fold. "I want you all to keep within 20 feet of the ground, we don't want anyone breaking their necks if they fall, and absolutely no racing, understood?"

Each teen nodded their acknowledgement.

"Right, let's go then" called Hiccup, turning Toothless towards the open gates. With a quick flick of his ankle, their flight gear was locked in. Toothless let out a small roar, before kicking up a cloud of dust as they sped from the academy. They reached their flying height, hovering in place whilst Astrid and the group caught up.

Hiccup always found that once he was in the air, things always felt smooth. He could hear the flapping of wings, the wind through his hair, the war feeling of his dragon underneath him, all of these things Hiccup found relaxing. Occasionally, they would have a slight wobble when they flew through turbulent air, but Toothless was more than capable of dealing with it, although it did sometimes gave Hiccup a few butterflies in his stomach if it was particularly rough. These were just some of the reasons he loved flying.

After a few seconds, the flock of Rumblehorns had caught up and were all flying as a group, with Astrid at the head of the pack. Hiccup and Toothless flew a little higher that the rest to allow them to observe every student and their dragons.

The group flew towards the village passing over the village square in perfect formation, waving to their fellow Hooligans below. A few younger children laughed and chased after the dragons, complaining to their parents that they wanted to fly as well. Hiccup chuckled to himself. Their time would come.

The flight was proceeding with exceptional ease. Hiccup noticed a few of the teens sitting too far forward in their saddles, something that was easily corrected with a bit of instruction. The dragons made their way from the village towards the Eastern woods, a perfect opportunity for some low level flying practise through the trees. As the woods drew closer, Hiccup did a quick head count.

"1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11…hang on, is that everyone, I thought we started out with…oh no"

Hiccup slumped in to his saddle as he realised two of the dragons were missing. Astrid flew Stormfly up next to him.

"Hiccup, what's wrong?"

"There's 2 missing, I knew something like this might happen. I guess I'll have to go find them" Hiccup sighed. Astrid nodded in response.

"We haven't been flying long, they couldn't have gone far. We'll meet you at the northern edge of the woods okay"

Hiccup smiled as he and Toothless reared around and headed back towards the village. Hiccup scanned the horizon for the two dragons. He didn't have long to wait.

He spotted the two Rumblehorns speeding away from the village towards the Western beaches, their teen riders laughing as they swooped and dived in-between the low lying shrubs. Hiccup heeled his flying gear and sped after them.

"YOU TWO, LAND NOW!" Hiccup bellowed. The teens either couldn't hear him, or were just choosing to ignore him, either way, Hiccup was getting rather annoyed. "LAND…NOW!" he screamed again, but still the teens wouldn't listen, continuing to speed towards the beaches. Hiccup veered Toothless away from a patch of shrubs, clipping the leaves from the top as he flew past. This was crazy, either one of the teens would get themselves hurt, or Hiccup would hurt himself trying to catch them.

The Night Fury and his rider sped off in pursuit of the Rumblehorns, being extra careful not to get too close at the risk of spooking on one of them and their rider being bucked to the ground. Hiccup could still hear the teens laughing and shouting as they flew along, completely oblivious to the danger they were putting themselves in.

The trio broke free of the scrub land and swooped down towards the beach. Hiccup knew this was his chance to stop them, much more open space and soft sand to fall on.

"Now bud, Plasma blast!"

Toothless shot out three quick blast, each one passing by the startled teens and slamming into the sand, blowing huge quantities of it into the air. The Rumblehorns roared in surprise, quickly pulling themselves to a stop, lurching each of the teen forward, crashing into the sand below. Hiccup quickly shifted their gear into landing mode, and touched down about 10 feet away. Quickly dismounting, the chief ran forwards through the sand cloud, and was relieved to see both teens laying on the sand, rubbing their heads at the shock of their sudden dismounts. Hiccup's relief quickly turned to anger.

"WHAT WERE YOU GUYS THINKING, RACING OFF LIKE THAT, YOU COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED!"

Both teens slowly made their way to their feet, brushing sand out of their hair and clothes.

"We were fine until you started chasing us" said one disgruntled teen, shaking his leg and depositing large quantities of sand from out of his pants. Hiccup seethe with rage.

"ARE YOU SERIOUS, I SAID NO RACING!" Neither teen seemed to be taking Hiccups tirade very seriously. "Okay fine, you guys want to be like that, racing around without a care in the world, fine, you are both grounded"

"Huh, you can't ground us, you're not our dads" sniggered one of the teens.

"I meant grounded from flying, you two will not be flying again until I am sure you can be trusted to act sensibly"

Both teens' jaws dropped open.

"You can't do that to us!" they shouted in unison.

"Oh but I can, I am head of the academy, not to mentioned I am the chief, so both of you are banned from flying, and if I catch either of you on the back of a dragon, you will be barred from the academy, understood"

The pair quickly fell silent, not wanting to incur the wrath of the chief any further.

"Now, both of you walk those dragons back to academy and get them cleaned up" Hiccup ordered, his arms folded, Toothless glaring menacingly at the duo from a few yards away. Both teens' turned on their heels, taking the reins of the dragons and walked back up the beach. Hiccup exhaled loudly. He was used to dealing with rowdy young Vikings who thought they knew everything, but that didn't make it any easier each time.

Hiccup climbed back onto Toothless and took off towards the woods. After a quick flight, he touched down next to Astrid and the other trainees.

"Did you find them?" asked Astrid as she walked over to him.

"Yeah, they we're being totally stupid and racing around the shrub lands, it's a miracle one of them wasn't hurt"

Astrid smiled at Hiccup, giving him a quick kiss. This was another reason she loved him so much, his caring nature to everyone on Berk.

"Don't worry, they will come around and see they were being stupid, but for now, we got this group to deal with"

Hiccup smiled back at Astrid as he walked over the group of waiting trainees. Astrid stood back and admired as Hiccup gave them their instructions for the next stage of their training, low level ground flying. One though raced through her mind, one that had been there since before she could remember.

Was there anything about Hiccup she didn't love…nope…..she couldn't think of a thing.

**Thank you to everyone who has reviewed and added****this story to their favourites. This is my first time writing a proper story for Fanfiction so my apologies if it takes a while to get going. After this chapter (and maybe the next) I will try and get one chapter upload done each week, mostly on Fridays, so keep your eyes peeled.**


	4. Chapter 4 - Moth Priest

The Moth Priest was dragged by his chains into the hall, scrapping his already bloodied knees across the stone floors. Dagur looked upon the priest with narrowed eyes as the guards brought him forward, his long grey hair flailing about over his face, his once white robe now dark with grime and muck from months of imprisonment. The priest was incredibly thin now, most likely due to the lack of proper food the Berserkers had provided him. His fingernails obviously hadn't been cut in weeks, and were long and spindly. The guards pushed the priest forwards, causing him to fall onto his hands in front of the throne.

"Now Moth Priest, I'm sure you know why you are here before me correct" Dagur asked. The priest lifted his head, a look of pure hatred of his captor smeared across his gaunt face.

"I have told you before, I do have a name" the Priest replied, his voice weak. Dagur snorted at the Priest defiance.

"Oh I am so sorry, please forgive me but I cannot even recall that name". The Berserker soldiers laughed at their chiefs' torment of the old man.

"My name is Mecius Vunnis" replied the priest.

"Well…..Mecius…..we have finally found what we have been looking for, and now you are going to read and interpret it for me". The priest lowered his face, not wanting to look at the despicable man who had held him prisoner for so long

"I have already interpreted the old scripts for you, I refuse to do any more of your bidding"

Dagur growled in rage, swinging his leg and connecting firmly with the mans rib cage. An audible crack echoed across the room, the unmistakeable sound of bones breaking. The priest fell to the side, clutching his stomach, struggling to breathe. Dagur grabbed the front of his robe, pulling his face close to his.

"Now listen to me you pathetic worm, I have not waited all this time to be told no by the likes of you. You will read that scroll, and you will tell me what it shows you, otherwise, things will become very bad for you" Dagur spat. Mecius took short breathes to try desperately to get some air into his lungs, which were now burning, combined with the pain he now felt from his broken ribs.

"Then just kill me Dagur, it is better than cowering down to a tyrant like you" Mecius coughed, small spots of blood splattered on the floor from internal bleeding. Dagur cackled insanely as he pushed Mecius back to the floor.

"Who said anything about killing you? That would be awfully counterproductive of me wouldn't it? No, I won't kill you, but trust me, if you refuse to read that scroll, you will wish you were dead"

Dagur picked up the Elder scroll from the table next to his throne, holding it down in front of the priest. Mecius looked at the scroll, the gold sparkling in the low light. Hanging his head, the extended his hand, talking to scroll from Dagur. Dagur smiled widely, taking his seat on his throne.

Mecius opened the scroll, a little dust falling from the page. Slowly, he began to read. Dagur and the Berserker soldiers watched intently as the priest scanned the text, mouthing the words silently to himself. Dagur tapped his fingers of the arm of his throne, waiting for the priest to finish.

After a few minutes, Mecius wound the scroll back into the gold casing, placing it on the floor. Dagur stood anxiously, staring at the priest.

"Well….what did you see?" Dagur asked impatiently. Mecius did not reply, rubbing his eyes with his hand. "Don't make me ask again old man…..WHAT DID YOU SEE!" Dagur screamed, his shrill voice echoing off the stone walls. Mecius opened his eyes, staring blankly around the room.

"I saw….the prophecy….it's true…..it's all true"

Dagur stared confused at the priest.

"Oh for the god's sake, what is he babbling about?" Dagur asked his soldiers, who all shrugged, none of them had any idea what was going on.

"He will return….he is the one….the saviour of our world…."

Dagur and his men just stood watching the priest talk, a dumbfounded look across all their faces.

"He is the one….the one they fear….in their tongue….he is Dovahkiin….."

"Who or what is a Dovahkiin?" Dagur asked, growing more and more frustrated at the lack of information he was receiving from the priest.

"Dragonborn" whispered Mecius.

Dagur stared down at the priest, who had lowered his head again, waiting for him to continue. But Mecius said nothing. Dagur gritted his teeth, a quiet rage building up inside of him.

"THAT'S IT, THAT'S ALL YOU SAW, WHAT THE HEL KIND OF SCAM IS THIS, THERE MUST BE MORE, TELL ME NOW!"

The Berserker soldiers slowly backed away from their chief, his veins nearly popping out of his head in anger. After all this time, all this searching, that's all he got, a story. Mecius climbed to his knees before getting to his feet, still clutching at his ribs, and walked slowly towards to door of the hall.

"HEY, WHERE DO YOU THINK YOUR GOING, GET BACK HERE!?" Dagur screamed, running after the priest. "THERE MUST BE MORE, I WANT THAT POWER, WHAT DID YOU SEE?!"

Mecius stopped in his tracked, turning back to face the seething Berserker chief. Dagur stopped dead in his tracks as he looked upon the priest, his eyes glazed over, devoid of all life. Dagur had never seen anything like it.

"Even if there were more on that scroll, I am no longer able to read it"

What are you talking about?" Dagur growled.

"I warned you Dagur, true insight into the divine contents comes at a price. Each new foretelling and interpretation strikes the reader with blindness that gradually increases with each reading. While our skills to read the scroll's contents increases with each reading, ultimately, we are left bereft of our vision, forever."

Dagur could not believe what he was hearing, his only way of deciphering the scrolls was now gone.

"But before I lost my vision, I did see one last thing."

"What was it, TELL ME NOW!" Dagur demanded, grabbing the priest by the collar and tugging him violently back into the hall.

"I saw him….the Dragonborn….the one who can stop the impending apocalypse"

Dagur slammed Mecius against one of the large stone columns that held up the roof of the hall. His soldiers gasped at this sudden show of aggression. They knew Dagur was called the Deranged for a reason, but they had never seen him like this before.

"Who…..is….he" Dagur hissed. Mecius turned his head away.

"He is the dragon tamer, the first in over a millennia who is able to control a dragon. He doesn't even know it yet, but he possess a power greater than any in this world"

Dagur growled in anger. He only knew one man who could possibly be who the priest was describing.

"You're sure that's all you saw?" Dagur asked, tightening his grip on Mecius robe.

"Yes, that is all…" replied the priest.

"Then what good are you to me now!" Dagur grabbed a blade from his belt, swung his arm and aimed it straight into the priests' chest. Dagur heard shouts from his men to stop, but his arm continued to lunge towards the priest.

But before the blade could pierce Mecius flesh, the hall was shaken by a flash of light and loud explosion, sending stone and wood crashing around. Berserker soldiers ducked out of the way of the flying debris as Dagur was thrown backwards, cracking into the ground with a sickening thud. Some soldiers rushed to their chiefs' aid.

A huge smouldering hole now occupied the wall, smouldering stone still crumbling around it. Dagur groaned and rolled onto his belly, staring through the thick smoke, but saw nothing. Scanning the room, he saw that the Moth Priest was gone.

"Sir are you alright?" asked one of the soldiers, placing his arms around Dagur to help him to his feet. Dagur pushed the mans' arms away.

"I don't need your help" he barked, prompting the soldiers to back away as he climbed to his feet.

"What do we do now sir?"

Dagur brushed his torso of stone and dust, staring into the black smoke that billowed out of the gap in the wall.

"PREPARE THE FLEET, WE SAIL AT ONCE!" he bellowed.

"Where to sire?"

Dagur grinned slightly, the evil glint in his eye making everyone in the room incredibly uneasy.

"We sail….for Berk!"


	5. Chapter 5 - Fus

"Okay listen up everyone, this a really simple exercise, so I expect big things from you all"

The group of Viking teens stood beside their Rumblehorns gathered at the edge of the Eastern Woods, excitedly awaiting their next phase of dragon training. Hiccup, Astrid, Toothless and Stormfly stood between them and the borders of the trees.

"All we want you to do is take a long sweeping flight around the edge of the woods, then fly back here through the trees. The forest isn't very thick here so you shouldn't have any problems" The group muttered excitedly between themselves as Astrid gave them their instructions.

"Could you give us a demonstration?" asked one of the teens at the back of the group.

"Good idea" replied Hiccup as he mounted Toothless "Come on bud, let's do this"

Toothless lept into the air and sped towards the trees, banking sharply to the right. The pair angles themselves at a perfect 90 degrees and they whizzed around the tree lines. Hiccup kept his body low down of his dragons back, reducing the friction from the wind and generating even more speed.

Within a few moments, they reached a small clearing into the woods, darting inside and began weaving their way around the trunks.

Hiccup furiously worked Toothless tail mechanism to dive in-between the branches. A number of rabbits and dear had to leap out of the way as the black dragon soared above. Toothless cooed to himself in amusement at the looks on their faces as he sped past.

As they approached the edge of the trees once again, Hiccup clicked his prosthetic to slow them down, breaking through the trees at a reasonable speed, landing just in front of the group of teens, who broke into a loud cheer as he emerged from the forest.

Astrid leant against Stormfly, her arms folded, smiling at her boyfriend as he climbed off his dragon. Hiccup gave Toothless a pat on the head.

"Good job bud"

Toothless gurgled a happy response as Hiccup turned his attention to the training group.

"See guys, just like that. Now, single file when you enter the trees, we don't want anyone smacking into each other"

The teens all climbed onto their saddles, making sure they were positioned correctly, and took off towards the trees. Hiccup and Astrid watched as the last of them disappeared around the corner. The couple could hear laughing as the group entered the trees and began gliding their way through. Hiccup took Astrid by the hand, leaning up against Stormfly next to her.

"So, how long do you think it will be before one of them crashes?" Astrid chuckled.

"Oh I think maybe a few minutes if any of them have the same attitude as those other two" Hiccup replied with a rather serious tone.

"Why so serious" Astrid pouted. Hiccup huffed in slight annoyance, which only caused Astrid to giggle.

"Seriously Astrid, if one of those teens gets hurt, the grief I will get from their parents will make some of Snotlout's tantrums seem like child's play"

"Oh lighten up, I was only teasing" Astrid poked Hiccup lightly on the chest, catching the spring mechanism for his back fin, causing it to spring out. Hiccup jumped with surprise, whilst Astrid burst out laughing.

"Still doing that one, that's hilarious" Hiccup deadpanned. Astrid wiped a few tears from her eyes, catching her breath.

"Hiccup only you could be so…"

CRASH!

The couple were startled by the loud crashing sound coming from the woods. Regaining his senses, Hiccup looked towards the trees, a small group of dear and a few birds breaking through the shrubs and fleeing. He ran towards the woods, pushing braches and twigs out of his way, his prosthetic squelching lightly against the moist forest floor. Looking back over his shoulder, Hiccup saw Astrid hot on his heels, Toothless and Stormfly behind her.

Hiccup broke into a small clearing in the trees and stopped, resisting the urge to laugh at what he saw. One of the Rumblehorns was sniffing the ground, whilst the young Viking, who moments earlier had been laughing and joking as they flew along, had their head stuck in-between two narrow branches of a nearby tree.

Hiccup walked up to the tree, tilting his head to get a good look at the face of the young Viking, who was pushing and pulling on the branches in a desperate attempt to free herself. Hiccup couldn't resist the urge to chuckle slightly as the teens eyes darted to him.

"Had a bit of crash did we?" Hiccup joked. The teen did not find this very amusing.

"Are you going to help me down or what?!" she barked.

"Of course, hold on"

Hiccup walked round the tree to where her legs were protruding out. He grabbed them both and began to tug as hard as he could.

"OW, WHAT ARE YOUN DOING, YOUR GOING TO PULL MY LEGS OFF?!"

"Well do you want to get out or not?" Hiccup groaned and strained, pushing his legs against the trunk of the tree, but it was no use, she wouldn't budge. "Astrid, little help?"

Astrid steeped over, still trying to contain her laughter, wrapped her arms around Hiccups waist and began to pull. The branches make a slight creak as the combined weight of both trainers pulled on their student, who was grimacing as her legs where stretched. With a sudden crack, the branches broke, and the teen came toppling onto Hiccup and Astrid, leaving the three of them tangled on the floor, causing the rest of the teens burst out laughing. Toothless and Stormfly cautiously approached to check that their human were okay. Hiccup got to his feet first brushing of his flight suit.

"Are you guys okay?" He asked, helping the pair back to their feet.

"Yeah I'm good" Astrid responded, whilst the teen just gave a simple nod.

"What happened" Hiccup asked the teen, who was straightening out her skirt and brushing her hair out of her face.

"I don't know, one minute we are flying along, then the next that stupid dragon stops suddenly and I get flung into these trees"

Hiccup looked over the Rumblehorn, who was still sniffing the ground.

"I think he may have caught a scent" said Astrid

The Rumblehorn quickly raised its head and charged off deeper into the woods.

"HEY, WHERE IS IT GOING?!" cried the teen, running after her dragon. Hiccup sprinted after them.

"Hiccup?!" Astrid shouted. Toothless began to set off in pursuit until Hiccup held up his hand for him to stop.

"You guys stay with the group, get them all back to academy, I'll deal with this"

Before he could hear their response. Hiccup darted after the Rumblehorn, dodging the ever increasing braches as the thickness of the forest became greater. One branch caught Hiccup across the cheek, opening up a small cut, but he pushed through the pain and continued running after the young girl. The Rumblehorn showed no signs of stopping, smashing through the undergrowth.

"SLOW DOWN GIRL, WHAT ARE YOU DOING!"

The dragon paid neither human any heed, and continued on its charge, until suddenly coming to a stop. Hiccup dug his prosthetic into the ground, narrowly running straight into the back of the dragon. Both Hiccup and the teen breather heavily after the chase, before their breath was completely taken away by what they saw.

The ground gave way to a large gaping hole, surrounded by broken rock and huge clumps of earth, at least 15 feet deep. All the trees within a 20 foot radius had either been smashed or burnt to ash. Hiccup scanned the edges of the hole, and was jagged marks carved into the earth. Taking a knee next to one of the marks, Hiccup ran his fingers through dirt.

"These look like dragon claw marks" he muttered to himself. The teen peered over his shoulder, keen to see what he was looking at

"What is this place" she asked. Hiccup got back to his feet and looked back into the hole in the ground.

"I don't know, but I don't think we should stick around in case whatever made this comes back. Let's go"

The teen nodded and took hold of the reins of her dragon, preferring to walk back to the academy. Hiccup began to follow the pair out of the wood, kicking broken pieces of rock out of his way. One of the rocks came to rest a few feet in front of him, and something caught Hiccups eye. He bent down and picked up the slab, brushing away small specs of dirt. The rock had three strange markings, like small claw marks, engraved onto the back of it. Hiccup twirled the rock in his hands, looking for more of the symbols, but only found the three.

"What are these things….some kind of old language" Hiccup thought to himself. He had travelled all over the archipelago, and never seen any writing like it. His eyes canned the symbols, when suddenly they began to glow. Hiccup gasped in surprise, and attempted to drop the stone, but he couldn't let it go.

"What is happening?!" he cried, as the glowing became brighter and brighter, the symbols burning their image onto the back of his mind. Hiccups knees became weak as he struggled to keep himself upright, his vision growing fader and fader. Just when he thought he was going to pass out, the stone emitted a bright flash, and a strange voice called out in the back of his mind…

_"__FUS"_

Hiccup finally dropped the stone and sank to his knees, completely out of breath. He began gasping and breathing heavily, trying to get some air back into his lungs.

"What the hel was that?" he asked himself as he finally regained the energy to stand.

Then another noise grabbed his attention. A long bellow from a horn coming from the village. Hiccup knew what each horn sounded like, it was part of his job as chief, and this horn almost made his insides freeze.

It was the Emergency Horn.


	6. Chapter 6 - Battle on the Docks

The wind that gusted gave the ocean's surface the look of shattered glass, the waves crashing against the sides of his ship, sending a cold spray up into his face. A low lying fog and the early morning sunrise made visibility poor, but he didn't take his eyes of the horizon, not for one second, he did not want to miss spotting their destination.

Dagur stood on the bow of the ship, clutching to a rope that connected the spinnaker to the bowsprit. The ship bucked with the swell of the sea, the wood creaking as the hull smashed back into the waves.

The Berserker fleet had left port early that morning, shortly before dawn. Dagur insisted on taking the full strength of the fleet, 25 frigates, 4 schooners and his own personal Man O' War. Over 2,000 Berserker soldiers were on board the fleet, each of them armed to the teeth for what Dagur had planned.

It was a simple plan, a smash and grab operation. Dagur didn't want to over complicate things, all he wanted was kill that little pipsqueak and get back to Berserker Island. If what the moth priest had told him was true, and that he truly was 'Dragonborn', then eliminating Hiccup was key to his plan of ruling the world.

"Only one of us can rule this world, and I assure you, it is going to be me" The sound of footsteps broke his growled mumbling and focus on the sea, as the navigator of the ship approached.

"Sir, we should be arriving at Berk within the next few hours"

Dagur grinned, turning his attention back the horizon.

"Good, is everything prepared?"

"Yes sir, all the men have been briefed on the plan"

"Excellent, prepare the dragon traps. I don't want that pesky Night Fury or any of their dragons interfering with our business, got it?"

"Yes sir" The soldier walked back down the deck of the ship, barking our orders to the crew to prep the traps. Dagur kept his eyes focused on the horizon, peering into the fog. The low lying sun made it glow a bright orange. To anyone else it would have been beautiful, but Dagur really didn't care for that sort of things.

Suddenly, his eyes caught sight of something, a dark spec far off in the distance. Dagur squinted into the fog, an evil smirk spreading across his face.

"There it is, that…miserable little island. When I capture that brat, the first thing I'm going to do is destroy that wretched place" Dagur growled. There really was no measurement for his hatred of that place. Letting go of the rope, Dagur walked down the deck of the ship, moving in-between the crew members preparing the dragon traps until he reached his quarters.

Opening to door, the unmistakeable odour struck his nostrils. Cooked meats, mead and general body smell, a stench that would have made anyone else cringe, but Dagur revelled in, taking a deep sniff.

"Ahhhh…the comforts of home"

His armour, helmet and weapons were laid out across a large chest at the foot of the bed. Dagur began to pick them up, strapping his belt around his waist and sliding his sword into it. His armour was made of solid steel, but was thinner and lighter, but just as strong. It was a rare occasion that Dagur gave out praise, but his blacksmith had deserved it when he discovered a new way to heat the metal. Dagur let out a light chuckle, finding it very amusing that not even that wooden legged dope of a blacksmith on Berk had figured out how to do it. That same blacksmith had also recently upgraded his helmet, now complete with a face mask and more spiked dragon teeth sticking out of the top.

Dagur slid the helmet onto his head, staring at himself in his reflection in the window. After a few minutes, he turned back towards the door of his chamber, muttering to himself.

"I'm coming for you, you insignificant little worm. I don't care what kind of power you think you have, you are nothing compared to me. This plan is fool proof, and nothing is going to stand in my way, not this time. So get ready, because when this day is done, there will be no such thing…as a Dragonborn"

* * *

Hiccup ran as fast as he could towards the village square, slightly regretting he had not let Toothless stay with him, flying would be much quicker. Hopping over rocks and the occasional shrub, he sped down the path from the woods. As he ran, thoughts raced through his mind as to the reason for the Emergency horn. It hadn't been blown in over 4 years, so whatever had happened had to be bad.

As he got closer to the village, Hiccup could see a plume of black smoke coming from near the shore. He darted past a group of young Viking mothers taking a walk with their children, nearly barrelling into them as he went past.

"Hiccup, where are you going!" shouted one of the women, holding onto her daughter so she wouldn't get run over by the chief.

"Sorry…emergency!" Hiccup called back without even turning his head to look at them.

After a ten minute sprint, he finally rushed through the town square, heading straight for the paths that led down the cliffs to the docks. A number of women were ushering their children in doors. Clearly this was not good.

Hiccup continued running as fast as his legs would carry him, a twinge of pain shooting up his left leg every time his prosthetic slammed into the ground. Skidding round a corner, he began quickly descending the stairs to the harbour, jumping the last few and landing hard on the planks of the docks. Looking up, he saw that Astrid, Gobber, his mother Valka, Snotlout, Fishlegs, the twins and a number of other men from the village had already arrived. Astrid and the other trainers were using a group of Scauldrons to extinguish a large fire, whilst the other men passed buckets in-between them to help.

"Astrid, what happened here?" Hiccup shouted. Astrid quickly turned round as he ran towards her.

"I don't know. Bucket and Mulch came running through the village saying there was a fire, that's when we saw the smoke". Hiccup came to a stop next to her, gasping and sweating from his run.

"Well this is just great!" shouted Gobber, stamping his good foot, "Do they know how long it will take to rebuild these docks!"

Valka placed a hand on his shoulder

"Calm down Gobber, we will get it fixed in no time"

"Mom, did anyone see what happened?" Hiccup asked. Valka shook her head in response.

"Not that we know of, only Mulch and Bucket were down here at the time"

"I bet you two had something to do with this" cried Snotlout at Ruffnut and Tuffnut, "I told you that those Zippleback bombs wouldn't work!"

"What are you talking about, it was your idea" replied Tuffnut in his usual uncaring tone.

"Well…yeah…but….DON'T CHANGE THE SUBJECT!" screamed Snotlout. Hiccup stepped between the pair before Snotlout could swing the first punch. The last thing he needed was these two coming to blows.

"Guys, chill out, we will find out who did this"

"Then you won't have to look far chief"

The group whipped round. Bucket and Mulch had returned to the harbour, Mulch with his arm in a sling, and Bucket with a bandage around his torso.

"Are you guys alright? Whet in the name of Thor happened here?" asked Gobber. Valka walked over the Mulch and Bucket, making sure the bandages were on tight enough.

"We saw the whole thing, it….it came out of nowhere…." Mulch replied, his head hung and staring at the floor. He was shaking like a flower in a breeze.

"What's the matter Mulch, you looked terrified?" asked Valka. Mulch nodded, but didn't take his eyes off the ground.

"It…it…..IT WAS A DRAGON!" he cried. Everyone just stood there, mouths agape, at what Mulch had just said.

"It's true" Bucket piped in, "It swept in a burned the harbour to a crisp. We barely made it of our fishing boat"

"A dragon did this…no way, that's impossible" said Fishlegs.

"He's right guys, a dragon couldn't have done this" Astrid added.

"We're telling you, it was a dragon, but nothing like anything we've ever seen!" Mulch cried. Hiccup put his arm around his friend, trying to comfort him. Mulch and Bucket were clearly distraught, maybe they were telling the truth.

"It's okay guys, you safe, now tell us what this dragon looked like?"

Bucket sniffed and wiped his nose "It was big, real big, larger than most of the dragons we've seen on the island. It had black scales, huge claws and…."

GGGGRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!

Before Bucket could finish speaking, a huge roar shook the ground around them. Pieces of the burnt harbour crashed into the water, and all the Vikings covered their ears to escape the noise.

"BY ODINS BEARD, HERE HE COMES AGAIN!" Mulch and Bucket screamed in unison, before running from the docks at break neck speed. Hiccup scanned the skies, but could not see anything. A low fog had hugged the ocean that morning, making it difficult to see anything. Hiccup peered into the mist, and then, he saw it.

A huge dragon, not like anything he had ever seen before, swooped down, it's giant wings causing massive gusts of air to blast the Vikings. Hiccup shielded his eyes from the wind and bits of ash that were still floating around. He could hear screams and shouting as most of the other Vikings fled, trying to find safety from somewhere.

"WHAT THE HEL IS THAT THING?!" screamed Fishlegs. Astrid drew her axe from her belt, Valka drew an arrow onto her bow and Gobber grasped with Hammer. Snotlout and Twins on the other hand were just standing there, their faces frozen in fear of the giant creature coming towards them. With an almighty crash, the dragon landed on the docks, splintering more wood in every direction. The floor boards underneath Snotlout, Fishlegs, Ruffnut and Tuffnut snapped in half, plunging the four into the water.

Hiccup quickly drew Inferno, his flaming blade, from its holster, extending the steel which quickly burst into flames. The giant dragon turned its gaze onto them, its dark yellow eyes glaring. Taking a long breath, Hiccup was sure the dragon was about to spit flames at them, but instead, the creature emitted a loud booming noise, the shockwaves sending each of them falling to the ground. Snotlout, Fishlegs and the twins scrambled to get away from the beast. Valka was the first to get to her feet, quickly redrawing her bow and firing an arrow at the dragon, which bounced harmlessly off the dragons' torso. The creature whipped its head in her direction, growling menacingly at her.

"Uh…maybe you shouldn't have done that?" Gobber pointed out.

The dragon opened its jaws. Hiccup immediately spotted the red glow coming deep from the beasts' throat.

"TAKE COVER NOW!" he screamed, as the dragon emitted a huge blast of fire in their direction. Hiccup dove behind a group of barrels, catching Astrid as she too dove for cover. The pair crouched behind the barrels, holding onto each other tightly as the flames flicked around each side of them. Valka and Gobber leapt behind some crates, shielding themselves from the dragons' fire. Toothless and Stormfly quickly flew into the air to escape the flames

The dragon stopped its fiery assault and began to step forward, the wooden docks groaning under its immense weight. Toothless and Stormfly began raining down fiery shots and plasma blasts, striking the beat on the back. The dragon roared and shot even more flames towards the two dragons, who had to swoop out of the way quickly to avoid being burned. Hiccup peered his head up over the barrels, the giant dragon moving ever closer.

"What are we going to do, he's got us pinned down?!" Astrid drew several of their throwing knives from her belt.

"I don't know" replied Hiccup, crouching back down, "That thing is huge. I've never seen a dragon like it before!" Hiccup replied, having to strain his voice so Astrid could hear him over the noise of the dragon.

"Well we have to do something, we can't stay here and wait to be turned into barbeque!"

But suddenly, from their hiding places, they heard the dragon cry out in pain. Poking their heads from around to see what was happening, they saw the giant dragon rearing on its hind legs, and arrow planted squarely into its ribcage, just below its right wing. The dragon emitted a mighty roar, before flapping its wings once again and taking off, flying up and away from the harbour. Hiccup and Astrid slowly got to their feet, staring at the dragon as it disappeared into the distance.

Valka and Gobber also emerged from their hiding places, both covered in soot, and part of Gobbers long moustache smoking. Snotlout, Fishlegs and the twins clawed at the burnet wood, trying desperately to climb out of the water, each of them shivering at the cold temperature.

The rest of the men walked back to the dock from their various hiding places. Hiccup looked around and thankfully it appeared that nobody was seriously injured, a few burns and the odd cut here and there but nothing the healer couldn't handle.

Hiccup and Astrid walked out on what remained of the docks, which weren't in such good condition. Almost everything had been destroyed, half the dock had collapsed and fallen into the sea, the cabin of the harbour master had been turned into nothing more than a pile of smoking rubble. Several ships were either sinking or had disappeared under the waves completely, and those that still floated were charred and smouldering.

"Great shot Val, you hit it!" cried Gobber, slapping Valka on the back, who stared at him with a look of confusion on her face.

"What are you talking about, I didn't fire that, I was too busy trying not be become a pile of ash"

"So…..very…..cold…" Snotlout's teeth were chattering so loud Hiccup was sure they may shatter at any moment. One of the men quickly produced some blankets from his satchel and handed them to the four shivering dragon trainers. Snotlout and Fishlegs wrapped themselves up, whilst the twins began to argue over which blanket was theirs.

"Well if you didn't fire the shot, who did?" asked Astrid

"Uh….guys….."

"Well who else had a bow, it must have been them" said Hiccup

"Guys….."

"Maybe I shot it, did I have a bow…..hmm, I wonders what for lunch today?" Tuffnut scratched his head as he spoke

"Guys…"

"Do you ever think about anything other than food!" snapped Astrid

"Sure, we think of blowing stuff up all the time" both twins replied in unison.

"GUYS!" Everyone jumped at the sudden outburst. Fishlegs was pointing out to sea. "I think we have another problem"

Hiccup looked out to the ocean.

"Oh no" he moaned.

Berserker ships were approaching, and a lot of them.


	7. Chapter 7 - Enemies on the Shore

Hiccup stared out at the huge fleet of ships that were rapidly approaching the shore line. He had seen the Berserker fleet before, but he couldn't help but notice it had grown considerably since his last visit to the island. Even during the recent time of peace, he had always been fearful as to why Dagur needed such a large fleet of ships, I guess now he knew why.

Fishlegs pulled out his spyglass, gazing through it at the giant fleet.

"Good gods, there must 20 to 30 ships out there" passing the spyglass to Hiccup. Hiccup looked towards the largest ship in the fleet, a gigantic Man O' War. Unlike the other ships, the Man O' War had two giant masts, each one housing two giant purple sails. 20 cannons poked their barrels out from the both sides of the ship, and a variety of strange looking devices were scattered across the deck. Hiccup could only assume these were some kind of dragon traps.

Moving the spyglass to the bridge of the ship, Hiccup could make out the familiar spiked helmet and war paint.

"Dagur"

Gobber snatched the spyglass from Hiccup hands, peering through it at the vast mass of ships that were growing larger and larger on the horizon.

"How many do you think there are Gobber?" asked Valka

"At least 1,500 men strong, if not more" Gobber replied, tossing the spyglass back to Fishlegs.

"Well if there here for a fight, then I say let's give them one!" cried Astrid, marching towards Stormfly. Before she could reach her dragon, she felt a hand grasp her arm.

"Astrid wait, we need to be smart about this" Hiccup said sternly. Astrid wrenched her arm free from his grasp and continued towards her dragon.

"You guys can be smart about it, I'm going out there to kick his butt!"

Hiccup chased up behind her as Astrid placed one her feet into the stirrups on her saddle.

"Astrid stop, we don't know exactly how many of them there are. We need to make sure the villagers are safe first, and the teens in the academy, we don't even know if they are here to fight"

"I agree with Astrid. Of course they're here to fight! Dagur never just shows up for a visit, and if he has the full Berserker fleet with him, then we need to take the offence to them!" roared Snotlout

"Yeah, let's go kick some Berserker tail" screamed Ruffnut, her high pitched screams causing her brother to cover his ears to escape the harsh noise.

"Guys, you're not helping!" Hiccup bellowed, "Astrid, just stay calm, we need a plan here"

Astrid paused for a second, before slowly lowering her foot back to the ground. Hiccup took her hands in his, leaning his forehead against hers.

"You're right, I'm sorry. So, what is the plan?" Hiccup smiled at her, giving her hand a light squeeze. In all honesty, Hiccup didn't really have a plan. He had no idea why the Berserkers were there, and with no ships of their own, their only choice was to take to the skies.

"Listen up everyone, anybody capable of flying a dragon saddle up, everyone else, head back and set up the village defences, if those Berserkers are here to fight, then we will be ready for them!"

The pounding of feet shook the docks so much that Hiccup was initially afraid that the already damaged support beams would give way and plunge the whole thing into the ocean. All the men began piling back up the steps towards the village. Hiccup walked over the toothless, climbing onto his saddle. Valka put the fingers in her mouth, and let out a long shrill whistle.

PPPPPPIIIIIIIHHHHHHHH!

A few moments later, the outline of a Stormcutter hooved into view, its giant X shaped wings clearly visible against the sun. Valka smiled as Cloudjumper landed on the dock beside her.

"Cloudjumper, we must go and help the villagers"

The Stormcutter blinked at his human companion, lowering his neck to allow her to climb onto his back. With one swoop, the pair took off, speeding up the cliff face towards the village. From his saddle, Hiccup watched his mother disappear over the cliff face. He was in a way relived that she had decided to stay away from a possible fight, after the death of his father, he didn't want to risk losing his mother as well.

"Hiccup, we will be back as soon as we can"

Stormcutter took to the skies, speeding towards the Village. Hiccup turned back to the group of dragon riders who remained. Snotlout, Fishlegs, Gobber and Twins had summoned their dragons and were now climbing aboard. A few of the other men who had received dragon training mounted a small group of Monstrous Nightmares.

"Now listen everyone, let's make one thing clear. Do not fire on those ships unless they fire on us first. If we can avoid a fight, I would like to. Stay together, don't let yourself get separated from the group"

All the riders nodded their understanding, kicked their heels and took to the sky. Toothless leapt from the ground and soared after them. Moving to the front of the pack, Hiccup stared down at the Berserker fleet. It didn't look like they had been spotted yet.

"Remember guys, do not fire unless they ….."

"HICCUP, LOOK OUT!"

SLAM!

"HICCUP!"

Astrid screams couldn't distract Hiccup from the pain that shot though his leg, a pain that he couldn't have ever imagined. A scream tore from his through, echoing across the sky. Hiccup buried his head against his dragons back, clenching his jaw, trying not to emit another cry of pain. The burning sensation in his leg was made worse from the vibrations caused by the flapping wings of Toothless

Toothless quickly swopped down to avoid another round of arrows that flew only a few inches from the dragons head. Quickly, he found a place to land, a large rock cluster at the top of the cliff that could act as a shelter. Toothless darted towards the cliff side, more and more arrows flew past at distance far too close for comfort.

Darting behind the rocks, Toothless landed with a thud. Hiccup winced as the pain intensified, slumping off his dragon and crashing onto the floor. Using what strength he had left, Hiccup dragged himself towards the rocks, propping himself up against them. Toothless cooed in concern, sniffing at Hiccups leg, but was quickly pushed away by Hiccup. Astrid had landed nearby and was running at break neck speed towards them. Sliding in on her knees, Astrid covered her mouth in shock at the arrow sticking out of thigh.

* * *

"You hit him sir!"

Dagur smiled as the soldier aboard the Man O' War took his bow off him, returning it to its stand next to the helm. Dagur watch as hundreds of arrows flew from his ships towards the group of dragons flying above them. If they thought that hiding in the clouds would work, then they were sorely mistaken.

"Of course I hit him, there isn't anyone in the archipelago with a better shot than me!" Dagur cackled

"Yes my lord replied the soldier, bowing his head slightly.

"Release the dragon traps, even without that poor excuse of chief to help them, those other dragons could still get in the way" Dagur waved his hand to the soldier, who quickly leapt down the steps and began barking out the orders. Dagur rested his hands on the wooden railing on the port side of the ship, watching intently as his men prepared the traps. After less than 20 seconds, all his men were in position, waiting for his order to fire. Dagur raised his arm into the air.

"On my mark"

"Sir"

"…ready…"

"Sir"

"…aim…."

"SIR!"

"WHAT!" Dagur screamed. Of the many things he hated, it was being interrupted.

"You may want to look at this"

Dagur growled before descending the stairs onto the deck of the ship. Walking at a brisk pace, he soon reached the soldier who had interrupted him, grabbing his soldier and spinning him round to face him.

"You better have a good reason for interrupting me, or I swear I will hang you for the crosstrees myself!" Dagur barker. The soldier merely pointed to the top of the cliffs. Dagur turned his head to see what he was pointing at. A single figure was standing alone on the top of the dark rocks. Dagur couldn't make out any of his features, only that he was dressed in a long black robe, his face covered by a hood.

"You interrupted me for that? By the will of the gods, you will hang for…."

CRACK!

The Man O' War bucked widely, throwing each of the crew members to the ground. Dagur flew on his back across the decks, crashing into the mast. The world around him seemed to spin as his vision drifted in and out of focus. Several of the dragon teeth from his helmet, which now had a small dent in the crown, had snapped off. Shaking his head, Dagur slowly made his way to his feet. Looking around, he saw the rest of the crew getting to their feet. He heard splashing of the starboard side of the ship, no doubt being caused by crew members who had fallen over board. A blue glow was slowly beginning to dim as his vision returned to normal.

"My Lord Dagur, are you alright" cried the first mate of the ship.

"What was that?!" Dagur bellowed in rage, "and what have they done to my ship?!"

"Sir, we must drop anchor, we cannot proceed any further with the ship damaged like this"

Looking around, Dagur saw many planked of splintered wood lying across the deck. Several of the dragon traps had been broken or completely destroyed. Two of the yards of the ship had snapped clean in half, leaving the sails and cordage dangling uselessly.

"DROP THE ANCHOR!" Dagur cried, looking back to the cliff top, only to see that the figure had disappeared

"I will get you for this" he growled, turning and heading back to his quarters.

* * *

Hiccup could only listen to the carnage that was unfolding. The Berserker ships were slicing through the Hooligan sea defences, getting ever closer to the steps leading from the docks to the village square. Astrid placed her hand around the area of Hiccups leg where the arrow had entered, grasping the shaft with her other hand.

"Hiccup, look at me" Hiccup lifted his face, his eyes welling with the pain shooting through his leg. "I've got to get the arrow out"

Hiccup bit his bottom lip, so hard he thought for a moment he could taste his own blood, closing his eyes and waiting for the stabbing pain that was sure to come. Astrid rested her head against his, kissing him softly on the lips.

"Okay, deep breath, on the count of three…..1….."

With a sharp yank, Astrid pulled on the arrow. A scream of agony erupted from Hiccup as the wood and metal was extracted from his leg. Astrid threw the arrow away, placing her hands over the now open wound. Hiccup gritted his teeth, taking short, sharp breaths, trying to relive the immense pain.

"HEY, WHAT HAPPENED TO ON THE COUNT OF THREE!" he cried. Astrid quickly placed her hand over his mouth to muffle his screams. Astrid ripped off a small strip of fabric from the lower part of Hiccups shirt, wrapping it tightly around his arrow wound as a make shift bandage. Grabbing hold of the rock, Hiccup began to try and pull himself to his feet, a white hot pain still coursing through his leg.

"I've…..got to stop this, if they get any closer…we will all be slaughtered!" Hiccup tried to stand, but a strong hand on his shoulder from Astrid prevented him from doing so

"Hiccup No! You're already hurt. You'd be killed, there are too many of them!" Astrid protested

"I have to, they cannot be allowed to reach the village, they will kill..."

**"****FUS RO DAH!"**

Hiccup couldn't see what was happening from behind the rock, he just heard the most gargantuan boom as the sky was light up in a blue glow and the ground rumbled underneath him.

"What's happening?"

Astrid peered around the boulder to get a view of the commotion. She looked around, the dust from the dry fields swirling in the air, stinging her eyes. The Berserker ships had stopped in their tracks. Several of their masts had been snapped, their sails torn to shreds. She could see a number of soldiers now swimming in the water, either knocked over board or had jumped ship. The rest of the Berserker fleet had stopped, and looking more closely, Astrid could see they had dropped anchor. She breathed a heavy sigh of relief, at least no they couldn't reach land.

The flapping of wings signalled the return of the rest of the dragon riders. Gobber, Snotlout, Fishlegs and the twins all landed close by, jumping from their saddles and running over the where Hiccup and Astrid stood. Valka and Cloudjumper followed, Valka leaping from her dragon before it could even land and running over to her son.

"Hiccup, oh gods, are you okay?" Valka knelled next to Hiccup, examining the blood soaked strap around his wound.

"I'm okay mom, it's nothing really"

"Hiccup, look there"

Astrid wrapped Hiccups arm over her shoulders and hauled him up to his find, his face twisting into a grimace from the still obvious throbbing in his leg. Hiccup peered through the dust to where Astrid was now pointing her finger, and could see a single figure, standing at the top of the cliff.

The stranger turned and began walking towards them. As he appeared through the dust, his blonde hair covered by a rather menacing looking hood. He wore a black sleeveless tunic, leaving his arms exposed, revealing a number of dark makings in the shape of tribal symbols on each. War paint covered what they could see of his face, the hood covering his eyes leaving only his nose and mouth showing, revealing a light tuft of stubble.

The bow he carried looked like a hunting bow, but must more robust than any bow made on Berk, a large quiver of arrows and a long sword in the hilt of his belt. As he approached, Hiccup noticed three distinctive scars running down the left side of his face.

"Thank you for your help back there, don't know what we would have done if you hadn't arrived, but who are you?"

Hiccup was cut off by Valka, who had placed his hand on his shoulder, a look of amazement on her face as she approached the man, who had stopped several feet in front of them.

"Can it be...no... no, it's not possible" Valka stuttered as he looked upon the features of the stranger.

"It's good to see you again" replied the man

"Mom, what's going on, who is this?" asked Hiccup confused.

Valka didn't answer him. She placed her hand gently on the side of the man's face, running her fingers back through his hair, her eyes glistening as tears brimmed.

"It is you"

Valka threw her arms around the stranger, pulling him into a tight embrace, small sobs escaping her lips. Hiccup stared in confusion, the last time he had seen his mother cry like this was after the death of Stoick. The man then turned his gaze towards Hiccup, a small smile etched across his face. He then uttered the words that left each member of the group stunned.

"Hello….brother"

* * *

**A big thank you to my first regular reviewer, dracologistmaster, please keep the reviews coming. My apologies for not getting this chapter up earlier, I am in the process of changing jobs so my writing time has been somewhat limited.**


	8. Chapter 8 - Welcome Home

**First things first guys, my apologies for not getting this chapter up sooner, changing jobs can be a hectic business and I've spent all week in various training sessions. I'm hoping Sundays will now be my writing days so I will try and get chapters up on a more regular basis from now on. But enough about that, let's crack on with Chapter 8...**

* * *

The group stood in a stunned silence, no one quite sure what to say. Valka held the man close, her arms wrapped around his neck, tears flowing into his shoulder. Gobber sat down on a nearby rock, his hands clasped together, as he quietly observed the pair, a small smile etched on his face. Hiccup just stood, watching his mother hug this complete stranger. He tried desperately to say something, but the shock prevented the words from escaping his lips. Astrid gripped his hand and arm tightly.

"It's been over 20 years, I never thought I'd see you again" Valka cried. The man wrapped one of his arms around the crying women, the other still firmly grasping his sword, hugging Valka tighter to his chest. Hiccup finally mustered up enough mental stability to speak.

"What…..what did you say to me…..?" he stammered. The man looked up from Valka, his eyes locking onto Hiccups.

"The years have been good to you. There is no mistaking the son of Stoick the Vast. You have grown into a strong and able warrior. The blood of the Haddock clan truly flows through your veins"

Hiccup took a slight step forward, Astrid still clinging to his arm. Valka finally broke her hug, standing to one side to allow the man to approach Hiccup. Snotlout placed his hand on the hilt of his sword, he didn't trust this stranger, no matter who he claimed to be. Fishlegs gave him a gentle slap, shaking his head. Snotlout took his hand of his sword, but did not look away from the man. As much as he didn't get along with Hiccup, he was still his chief, and he had a duty to protect him.

Hiccup slowly began to regain the strength in his leg, taking small but delicate steps towards the man.

"You didn't answer my question?" Hiccup replied.

"My name is Thorin, son of Stoick and Valka"

The words hit Hiccup like a ton of rocks. He suddenly felt his legs go weak again, and would have toppled for the ground if not for Astrid supporting his weight. The rest of the group looked to one another, each with the same surprised look on their faces.

"You….you're…..you're my brother" Hiccup stammered. Thorin nodded in response, his eyes never leaving the face of his younger brother. Hiccup hobbled over to a nearby boulder, desperate to take the weight off his leg, which was still screaming in pain.

"So wait a minute, you're his big brother, why can't I have a big brother?" moaned Tuffnut. Ruffnut proceeded to punch him very hard in the face. Thorin turned his attention to the now grappling twins, the smile on his face growing wider.

"Guys, cut it out!" Fishlegs grabbed the pair by the collar, pulling them apart. Hiccup had not paid any attention to the squabbling siblings, he was still trying to process exactly what he had just heard. He looked to his mother, who was drying the tears of her face.

"Mom, is this true?"

Valka looked between the two men.

"Maybe we should talk somewhere else…." Shooting a look at the others, "….somewhere more private?"

Hiccup suddenly winced as another shot of pain emanated through his leg. Astrid tugged him up to stop him from crumpling to the floor.

"You need to see the healer, that wound could get infected"

Hiccup nodded, and the pair began slowly walking back to the village. Gobber and the others began following, but a stern look from Valka stopped them all before they could take another step. Gobber held up his hands in understanding, and began issuing instructions to the rest of the group for cleaning up the docks.

Every step Hiccup took caused a new stab of pain in his leg. The leather strand around his leg was now saturated with blood, small drops falling to the ground, leaving a stained trail behind them. Astrid did her best to support his weight, but his constant stumbling made things extra difficult. Toothless trotted up beside the pair, allowing Hiccup to use his head as extra support. Between grimaces, Hiccup was able to smile at his dragon friend.

It was only a short walk to the healers hut, but the throbbing in his leg made the journey seem like it took hours. Finally arriving in the town square, the group were greeted by gasps of horror and quiet murmurs at the trail of blood flowing behind them, the attack on the docks and the strange man walking with the chief and his family.

The healers hut was on the far side of the village square. Elina, the village healer, was inside the hut sorting through various bottles of medicine when the group knocked on the door. As she opened the door, the look on her face changed from her normally happy demeanour to one of great concern at the sight of the chief with blood pouring down his pants leg.

"Hiccup, what happened, I heard a huge commotion from the docks, and…my gods, your leg, get inside quick"

The group hustled inside the healers' house. It was a simple hut, which had been segregated into separate rooms inside. A large store cupboard was located just outside a side door, which contained all the harvested herbs that the healer grew in her garden for the medicines she brewed. Elina bustled the group into one of the treatment rooms, a small table laid next to the bed with a variety of bandages and ointments. Astrid helped Hiccup to hobble over to the bed, lowering him down slowly to avoid putting excess pressure on his leg. Hiccup laid flat on the bed as Elina began to examine his wound.

"He's been shot, single arrow to the leg" Astrid explained, taking a set next to the bed, holding Hiccups hand. Valka knelt on the other side of the bed, brushing her hand through Hiccups hair. Thorin stood back towards the window to allow the healer to work. She quickly removed the rudimentary leather strap, tossing it to one side. Elina took a clean rag and a bottle of ointment, soaking a small section of the rag.

"This may sting a little"

As the healer applied the rag to the wound, Hiccup hissed through his teeth as the pain gave way to the most almighty stinging sensation. Astrid squeezed his hand in comfort as Elina wiped away the dried blood. Hiccup clenched his eyes shut, tossing his head back. The only thought his pain crazed mind could muster was which was worse, the arrow or the ointment.

Once Elina had cleaned the wound of the blood, she grabbed a roll of fresh bandages and began wrapping them tightly around Hiccups leg. Before long, the wound had been covered. Hiccup opened his eyes and gazed down at his leg, relieved that the stinging had stopped and the pain was slowly beginning to subside.

"You'll have to stay here over night so I can keep checking on that wound, if we don't apply fresh ointment to it every few hours it could turn septic, bot otherwise you should be just fine in a few days" Elina said, clearing away the leather strip and ointment bottles. Hiccup continued to stare at the bandages on his leg. As much as he wanted to, he couldn't leave the healers house, he'd already lost one part of his leg, and he didn't really want to lose any more of it. Valka and Astrid breathed a sigh of relief at the news Hiccup would be okay.

As quickly as his relief from the pain dimmed, Hiccup looked across the room at Thorin. His mind was racing with a million and one thoughts all at once. How could this man, who appeared out of nowhere, claim to be his brother. Where could he even start with his questions? Luckily, he didn't have to worry about that, as Astrid was the first to speak.

"So….Thorin…uhm….where….?"

Thorin couldn't help but break into a smile. He had expected this kind of reaction, after all it had been over 20 years since he had set foot on Berk.

"Thorin, I can't believe your actually here" Valka interrupted Hiccups stammered question.

"It has been a long time mother" replied Thorin, who walked away from the window and took a seat at the foot of the bed. Hiccup watched his every move intently.

"I thought you were dead?" Tears began to brim in Valka's eyes. Astrid reached across the bed an took her hand, rubbing her thumb gently across the top of her hand.

"No, but I very nearly was"

"Where have you been all this time? If you were alive, why did you not come back to Berk?" asked Astrid. Thorin took a deep sigh dropping his head slightly, but keeping his eyes locked on the three.

"I'm afraid that is a bit of tale" replied Thorin

"Tell it"

Thorin, Valka and Astrid all looked to Hiccup, honestly forgetting a little that he was there, he hadn't spoken a word since they got into the hut. Thorin leaned back in his chair, reached inside his robe and took out a long intricate looking pipe, a small pouch and a pair of flint rocks. Opening the pouch, Thorin produced a brown looking herb, compacting it into the pipe before using the two flint rocks to ignite. Placing the pipe between his lips, he took a long breath, blowing to smoke into the air, which danced through the sun rays protruding through the window.

"It happened 20 years ago…."

* * *

_"__Come on father, we'll miss the tide, you promised we would be able to go today"_

_The burley Viking walked across the docks, carrying two fishing rods under his arm. His young son was standing at the side of a small fishing vessel, fidgeting anxiously. They boy had hardly slept from excitement the night before, it was first fishing trip and he was incredibly eager to get going._

_"__Ha ha, patience son, we will"_

_The little boy, no older than 6, smiled broadly at his father as he tossed the two rods into the boat and collected a bucket of bait from a nearby chest. The giddy child leapt across the gangplank into the boat, prompting a chuckle from his father._

_"__Come on dad, let's go!" he cried_

_"__Okay Thorin, I'm coming"_

_Stoick crossed the gangplank, plopping himself onto the seat at the back of the boat. Another Viking on the docks untied to mooring ropes and pulled the plank back onto the dock. Stoick tugged on a small rope to his left side, unfurling the sails. Thorin stood at the bow of the boat, gazing out across the waves, his eyes full of wonder._

_Stoick steered the boat beyond the edges of the harbour, catching the wind perfectly as the boat rocked gently against the waves. The spray washed over their faces, the smell of the sea filling their nostrils. Stoick took a long deep sniff. He had loved the sea for longer than he could remember, and now he got to share that feeling with his son, and soon, he would get to share it with two children. His mind drifted to his wife and new-born son, Hiccup, sitting in their house by the fire, waiting for them to bring back that days catch for dinner._

_"__Why couldn't Hiccup come with us?" asked Thorin. Stoick adjusted the course of the boat slightly to avoid a small rock cluster poking out of the ocean surface._

_"__He's only a few months old Thorin, far too small to be out here on the sea. But don't you fret, one day we will all be able to fish together"_

_Thorin's smile grew even wider at this prospect, of one day teaching his baby brother how to be a fisherman, Stoick beamed back as his eldest son turned his gaze back to the sea, but something caught his eye. It was something he was ashamed about, something he wished he could have prevented._

_The scars running down his sons face. Stoick remembered the sleepless nights he and Valka had endured a few years ago, waking up every few hours to the cries of pain from their child. He had told Thorin not to venture to far away from the house, but his sons' curiosity had gotten the better of him, especially in a Terrible Terror which he had gotten far too close. The tiny dragon may not be intimidating to a fully grown Viking, but to a toddler, any dragon lashing its claws across their face must have been terrifying._

_His thoughts were interrupted by a shout of glee from Thorin, who was watching a group of fish jump up out of the water. Stoick examined the sea around them, looking behind to see how far away from the shore they were. He must have been daydreaming for a while; they looked to be about a mile from the shore line. Picking up the iron anchor, Stoick dropped it into the water with a splash. Thorin bounded towards the back of the boat and eagerly picked up his rod, placing a small worm onto the hook. Stoick laughed loudly at the eagerness of his son, but also felt proud at how quickly he had picked up the art of line fishing. He had only received a few lessons, but Thorin cast his line out like a pro._

_The hours flew past, father and son laughing and joking, pulling in fish after fish. These were the moments that Stoick missed as chief, spending time with his family, an activity he had gotten less and less time to do since he had assumed the throne from his father._

_The pair where having so much fun, that Stoick did not notice the storm clouds that had gathered to the west. A low rumble of thunder quickly caught the attention of both Vikings. Stoick scanned the skies as the storm clouds drew closer._

_"__Okay son, that's enough for today, we have to get back"_

_Thorin pouted slightly, but pulled in his line. Stoick quickly began to pack the gear away, but the rain had begun to fall. By the time he had the sail back out and the anchor pulled in, the wind had picked up considerably, lashing the rain against his skin. Waves began to crash against the side of the boat, quickly saturating the two Vikings as they thrashed around violently as the storm began to pick up._

_"HOLD ON SON!" Stoick bellowed, trying desperately to steer the small boat through the storm. Thorin wrapped his arms around the mast, his fingers barely meeting. Lightning and thunder cracked above them, lighting up the darkening grey skies with flashed of light. Stoick wrestled with the rudder, using all his strength to guide the boat towards the shore. Thorin was holding on for his life, his eyes clamped shut._

_Out of the corner of his eye, Stoick saw a much larger wave approaching. Heaving on the rudder, he desperately attempted to turn the boat to catch the wave, but the swell and quickening currents made this task a difficult one. The wave drew closer and closer, growing in height. Stoick watched as the wave broke, engulfing their boat in a spray of water. Stoick shielded his eyes from the stinging spray, gritting his teeth as the cold water washed over him. The water passed by quickly as the boat continued to smash into the hull. Stoick saw that the bowsprit had been snapped clean off, dragging the front sail into the water, but there was something else that made his heart stop. His eyes darted around the boat, but it was becoming clear to him, as an unbridled panic set in…_

_Thorin was not on the ship._

_"THORIN!" Stoick screamed into the darkening skies, his eyes staring out into the inky black ocean. The waves were getting worse and worse, the wind was howling across the skies and the rain was falling harder than ever. Stoick peered across the water, finally spotting the bowspirit of the ship floating away, picked up by a strong current. The block of wood was drifting further and further away, at a speed that Stoick knew he couldn't catch if he swam after it, and couldn't pursue in the boat with the damage that had been caused by the storm._

_"THORIN!"_

_Stoick watched, his heart beating so hard in his chest he thought it may explode, as the pieces of the boat disappeared into the darkness, with his son grasping to them._


	9. Chapter 9 - Life of Thorin

Dagur paced back and forth across the deck of his ship, his feet kicking shards of wood and metal across the floor. A faint smell of burning still hung in the air as the last of the fires caused by the mysterious blast were finally extinguished.

All around him, his crew worked in a frenzy to repair what they could of the now decrepit fleet of ships. Huge new swatches of cloth were hoisted up the patched up masts, hundreds of yards of rope were being fed in and out of pulley systems, cannons replaced into their holdings with huge cartons of projectiles next to them. Never did Dagur imagine that he would have to resort to using his reserves supplies so early into his invasion plans.

A quite rage boiled in the chest of the Berserker chief. Almost his entire fleet had been destroyed, only a few ships remained sea worthy, let alone capable of launching an invasion. Almost a quarter of his men had been blasted overboard by the strange blue blast. The strongest fleet in the entire archipelago, reduced to kindling and splinters by something that they didn't ever know what it was.

Dagur gritted his teeth, squeezing his fists tightly together. He had never been so humiliated in all his life, and he was determined to make someone pay for it, he didn't care which it was, the runt Hiccup, or the stranger on the cliff.

"They will both hang for this, i guarantee it" Dagur growled, a eerie sinister tone to his voice, a tone which made the mid-shipmen approaching the chief feel incredibly nervous.

"...uh...my Lord Dagur..." the crewman spoke sheepishly. Dagur turned to face the sailor.

"This better be good news, or I swear to the gods, I will cut you down where you stand...understood!"

The mid-shipmen swallowed thickly, keen not to invoke the wrath of the chief any further than it already appeared.

"...a progress update sir..."

Dagur leaned against the railing of the ship, crossing his arms and staring at the crew member.

"...14 of the ships are...completely sunk sir, all four schooners and 10 frigates..."

The crew member watched as Dagur looked set to explode in rage.

"IF YOU KNOW WHAT IS GOOD FOR YOU, YOU WILL GET OUT OF MY SIGHT RIGHT NOW!"

The mid-shipmen didn't need telling twice, quickly tuning and walking at a very brisk pace away from the seething Berserker. Dagur shook with anger, slamming his fists into anything he could lay his hands on, throwing empty crates over the side of the ship, kicking tables and chairs to pieces. The rest of the crew watched the commotion, all of them glad that the chief was taking his rage out on the furniture instead of them.

When it looked like he had run out of things to smash, Dagur stood deathly still, his shoulders and chest heaving as he sucked short violent breaths. As much as it went against everything he stood for, he knew in his mind that there was only one thing they could do.

"LET GO THE MAIN SAIL, WEIGH ANCHOR YOUR USELESS MAGGOTS, SET COURSE FOR BERSERKER ISLAND!"

A few members of the crew stared in confusion at their chief. He had never ordered a retreat before.

"We're sailing home sir?" asked the helmsman

"Only until the repairs to the ship are complete...then...then we come back here, and finish what we started, one way or another, Odin hear me, that brat will die by my hands" Dagur hissed in response, slumping back to his cabin.

* * *

Hiccup, Astrid and Valka listen in awe as Thorin spoke, hanging onto his every word.

"How did you survive? A six year old washed overboard in a storm would of killed a regular child?" asked Astrid. Thorin took another long drag on his pipe, his eyes gazing out the window at the midday sunlight.

"I floated on the broken mast for almost a day and a half, no water, no food and no rest. I thought my days had come to an end, the flame of my life about to be extinguished before it ever really begun..."

A few tears escaped Valkas eyes as she listened to her son speak. Hiccup however, remained steely eyes, never moving his gaze from his brother.

"I was picked up by a merchant vessel...they gave me food and water, dry clothes and a bed to rest. They asked me where I was from, I told them I was from Berk, but this was not a place they had heard of, and sadly such an extensive map of the world did not exist at that time"

Thorin locked eyes with Hiccup after this last sentence. Hiccups mind raced faster than ever. How did Thorin know about his map? Was there anything this guy didn't know about him?

"I was taken to a strange land far to the south. The crew of the vessel took me to a city called Solitude, were I was presented to the Jarl"

"The Jarl? What is that?" asked Astrid in confusion

"It is their equal to a Viking chief, the leader of each province" replied Thorin

"What was he like?" asked Valka

"He was truly a great man, although I did not know it at the time. His name was Torygg. He was a kind and generous man, loved by his people, so much so, that upon the death of his father, High King Istlod, he was crowned the new High King. His wife, Elisif, is a remarkable beauty, the fairest women I had ever seen."

"What did they do with you?" Hiccup asked. Thorin breathed deeply, staring blankly out of the window.

"The Jarl and his wife did not know what they should do. I was a foreigner in a strange land, with no way of returning home, so they took me a smaller town, a place called Riften, where I was placed in an orphanage, somewhere they thought I would be safe"

Valka covered her mouth with her hands, tears now flowing freely. Her eldest son, considered an orphan. Astrid and Hiccup looked at each other, a mutual sense of shock emitted between the pair.

"It was a truly ghastly place. The woman who ran the orphanage was cruel, cold and distant. We barely had enough food and water to survive. The other children would shun me because I was not one of them; it was a very lonely time. For 10 years, I suffered in silence, keeping to myself, living life one day at a time, but when I was 16, I could not suffer any longer. I ran away from the orphanage; making my way north back towards Solitude. It was a long journey, and with no supplies or weaponry, it was extremely dangerous. After 5 days, I arrived in a small village called Ivarstead. I was exhausted, my feet bleeding, my throat parched. A local family gave me rest and sustenance….I have never known such kindness. As I was due to leave, I overheard a group of merchants, speaking about a mysterious faction living high in the mountains. They said that these men possessed extraordinary powers. It was then I thought that they may be able to help me get home…."

Thorin paused in his story. The herbs in his pipe had completely burnt out, leaving a strange odour hanging around the room. Turning the pipe upside down, Thorin dabbed the grey and black ash into a small wooden bowl, placing the pipe back inside his robes Hiccup, Astrid and Valka all sat in a stunned silence, trying to take in what they were hearing.

"….I had to meet these men, so I made my way up the mountains, on a dangerous path called the Seven Thousand Steps. It is not a quest for the faint hearted; I encountered wolves, bears, bandits and mountain trolls."

"How did you get passed them, a 16 year old boy against all that?" asked Astrid

"With a great deal of difficulty" Thorin chuckled in his reply.

Hiccup couldn't help but break into a small smile. The sound of his brothers' laughter lifted the tense atmosphere around the room somewhat. Valka and Astrid also felt more relaxed. If Thorin could laugh about his experiences, then they should be able to as well.

"I had to use a great deal of stealth; I did not want, or feel capable, of fighting them all. I did meet a few pilgrims on the way, who make an annual trip up the mountain as a test of character. Finally, I arrived at the top of the mountain; an old fortress built by an ancient Nord, a man named Jurgen Windcaller"

"And what was this old fortress called?" Hiccup piped in. Thorin stepped away from the window, taking his seat at the edge of the room.

"High Hrothgar"

* * *

**Hi guys, I am so sorry for taking so long to post a chapter update, and such a short chapter as well, my new job is taking up a lot of my time so you will have to bear with me over the coming few chapters. A massive thank you to everyone who had commented and favourite/followed this story. Next chapter coming soon, what lies ahead for Hiccup and Thorin, stay tuned…**


	10. Chapter 10 - Trust Issues

Hiccup, Valka and Astrid listened in earnest as Thorin recounted his tale, and what a tale it was. A six year old boy, surviving in a foreign land, with no way to return home. For most people, it is a life that could have been the death of them, but Hiccup was beginning to see that his brother was made of much sterner stuff than he. The hours seemed to fly by, and before any of them new it, the sun was beginning to set, casting a dim orange glow across the village as dusk settled in. Before long, Elina returned to the group, having finished her daily rounds with her other patients.

"So Hiccup, how is your leg feeling?" asked Elina, examining the bandages around Hiccups injury.

"It feels much better, thank you" Hiccup replied, a small smile on his lips

"Well I'm glad to hear it, but I don't think you should go home tonight. I want to keep you here just in case"

As much as Hiccup did not fancy a night in the healers' house, he also knew that arguing about it would prove to be pointless. Elina was a kind and gentle women, but not someone you want to cross when it came to the health of the villagers. Resigned to his stay, Hiccup sighed and gave a small nod in response.

"I think its best that the rest of you head home and get some rest as well, it has been an eventful day for all of us"

Valka and Astrid both nodded. Elina walked out of the room, holding the door open for the others. Valka leaned over and gave Hiccup a kiss on the cheek before standing.

"You get some rest okay"

Hiccup smiled and squeezed his mother's hand lightly before she turned and headed towards the door. Hiccup cocked his face towards Astrid, who leaned in a placed her lips daintily against his, sending the usual sparks surging through his body.

"I'll come back first thing in the morning okay, I love you"

"I love you to"

Astrid brushed her hand through his long auburn lock, before she followed Valka out of the room, leaving just Thorin.

"Thorin….I uhh…..I meant to thank you. You saved us all earlier. If you hadn't stopped the Berserker ships, they would have destroyed the village….." Hiccups eyes drifted to Thorin's bow lying on the table. It truly was a remarkable looking weapon, a shaft of ivory colour, brown leather straps secured around the handle. The arrow head where jagged and razor sharp, not like the arrows produced by Gobber "…..and I guess it was you who shot that dragon?"

Thorin smiled and nodded. Somehow, even though he had only known his for a couple of hours, Hiccup felt some comfort in his presence. Thorin turned his head to the door, where Elina was waiting for him to follow her out.

"Can I have a few moments please?" he asked. Elina glanced to Hiccup, before slowly closing the door with a quite clunk, leaving the brothers in total silence for a few moments.

"Listen Hiccup, there isn't any time to lose. I came here for a reason, and too much time has passed already"

Hiccups expression changed to one of confusion.

"What are you talking about?"

Thorin retook his seat, resting his forearms on his thighs.

"I need your help brother. There are dark times coming, the impending destruction of our world. I have been sent here on a special mission, and I cannot delay any longer"

Thorins' previously gentle tone was replaced by one of complete seriousness. Hiccup couldn't help but notice the stark similarities between Thorin and his father, the same serious expression, the same piercing eyes. If he had any doubts remaining over whether Thorin was indeed his brother, they were quickly being pushed to one side.

"Who sent you? What's going on?" Hiccup was growing increasingly concerned.

"There is an ancient and honoured order that reside at High Hrothgar, a group of powerful men. They took me in, trained me in their art. They are called the Greybeards. It was them who sent me here"

"But why?" asked Hiccup. Thorin got to his feet, grabbing his robe and throwing it over his shoulder, walking towards the doorway. "Hey, where are you going?"

"I don't have time to explain everything now Hiccup, but I promise you will get answers over time. At first light tomorrow, we must go". Thorin began to head towards the door, his robe swaying across his back.

Hiccup shuffled himself up the bed, resting his back against the head board. A slight twinge shot up from his injured leg, causing his to wince ever so slightly.

"What do you mean 'go', I don't understand? And anyway, I can't just leave, I'm the chief, I have duties here"

Thorin leant against the frame of the door.

"Hiccup, you do not know what is at stake here; we cannot afford to waste any more time…"

For a moment, the brothers simply stared at each other, neither of them quite sure what to say next. Thorin was determined to convince Hiccup that he needed to come with him, but at the same time, it appeared that Hiccup was determined to stay. It was a crossroads that Thorin could ill afford to wait at.

"…..okay…." Thorin finally broke the silence "…..we will wait until the morning and discuss this with the others. Sleep well brother"

Thorin slapped his arm across his chest, in what Hiccup could only assume was a form of greeting from the land Thorin had been living in. The elder Viking slowly stepped out of the door, closing the door softly behind him.

"Thorin, wait please, I have so many questions?!"

Hiccup listened to the sound of his brothers footsteps disappear down the corridor, before he heard nothing but the quite of the evening. Hiccup slowly lowered his head against the pillow, but sleep was the furthest thing from his mind. So much had happened that day, how could he possibly sleep with all these thoughts circulating in his head?

Hiccups mind drifted back to earlier in the day, and the dragon attack. What kind of beast was that? He had never seen a dragon like it before, none of the usual traits he had become accustomed to, but a creature of evil, darkness and raw power.

And where was it that Thorin wanted to take him. He couldn't just get up and leave Berk. He couldn't abandon the village, the people, his friends, his mother….or Astrid. He was the chief, and it was his job to protect them. He couldn't leave…..he wouldn't leave.

* * *

"I don't care what he calls himself, I don't trust him"

Snotlout was pacing back and first through the Great Hall, his hand never leaving the handle of his blade, his broad figure casting long shadow across the hall. The large fire roared in the centre of the room, warming the otherwise cold stone floors and walls. Gathered around the large wooden table, the remaining dragon riders busied themselves with various tasks.

Fishlegs ploughed through the dragon manual, looking for any information on the dragon that had attacked the harbour, thus far with no luck. Gobber was whittling away at a new hand attachment to replace his old one, which had been burned during the morning's fire. The twins were just sitting at the table, twirling a pair of knifes in their hands, not really sure what to do with themselves.

"Calm down Snotlout, it's nothing to get worked up about" Gobber replied calmly.

"Nothing to get worked up about?! This guy shows up out of nowhere, uses some kind of power none of us have seen before, and then claims he's the long lost brother of the chief. Does all that not sound even the littlest bit suspicious to you?"

"Valka knew who he was, so he must be telling the truth" Fishlegs lifted his eyes from his book and looked to his friend, who was still pacing back and forth around the table.

"I'm still not convinced, how do we know this guy is actually who he says he is? He could be an imposter for all we know"

Gobber let out an audible sigh, brushing some wood fragments from his lap and placing his knife down on the table.

"Look Snot, if Hiccup, Astrid and Valka trust him, then that should be enough for you"

"What should be enough?"

The group turned their heads towards the door of the hall as Valka and Astrid approached.

"Snotlout is having trouble believing that Thorin is who he says he is" replied Fishlegs, turning his attention back to the Dragon manual and the huge pile of notes in front of him. Valka glared at Snotlout, who had stopped pacing and was sitting against the edge of the table, returning her stare with equal intensity.

"What do you mean you don't trust him? He is my son!" Valka snapped, resting her hands on the table. Astrid crossed her arms, standing a few feet back from Valka, her brow furrowed as her own stare at Snotlout grew.

"You haven't seen him in over 20 years, how can you possibly be sure it is him?" Snotlout barked back.

"I know my own son, and you have no right to doubt him!" Valka was becoming increasingly angry at the implied accusations Snotlout was making. Snotlout turned his attention to Astrid.

"And what about you, do you trust him?" he asked.

"Of course I do. Hiccup trusts him, his mother trusts him, so I trust him"

Snotlout shook his head.

"Well you can all think what you want, I don't trust him, and the moment he falls out of line, or makes one attempt to put Berk in danger, I will put an end to him!"

"Is that so?"

For the second time, the group jumped slightly as a new voice echoed into the conversation. The Vikings looked towards the main doors, but saw no one there.

"I'm over here"

The group whipped their heads round like owls, and caught sight of Thorin leaning against one of the stone columns, his hood over his head, gazing into the fire.

"What…you…how'd…how'd did you get in here?" stuttered Snotlout, his hand once again resting on the hilt of his sword. Thorin pulled his hood back, shaking his hair and running his hand through his blonde locks. Ruffnut gazed at Thorin, her heart slightly melting as she admired his chiselled features. Fishlegs couldn't help but notice this, his face blushing slightly from a hint of jealousy.

"Oh, I have ways of moving undetected when I need to" replied Thorin, pushing his back away from the column and walking slowly towards the group.

"How long have you been standing there?" asked Gobber

"Long enough to know that young Master Jorgenson does not seem to trust me" Thorin walked methodically towards Snotlout, who kept his hand on the hilt of his sword "I can appreciate that my story seems a little farfetched, but I assure you, you have nothing to fear from me. I am not your enemy"

Snotlout narrowed his eyes as the older Viking approached him. The others could fall for his little tricks, but he was not going to be fooled that easily.

"Keep talking all you want Thorin, if that is your real name, I still don't trust you"

Thorin chuckled slightly, taking a seat at the far end of the table, placing his bow in front of him.

"As is your right Master Jorgenson, but I feel that soon you will see me as a friend, not foe"

"Yeah, well we'll have to see about that won't we!?"

Snotlout quickly turned on his heels, marching towards the hall doors, pushing them open and descending down the steps towards the village.

"I wouldn't take much notice of him" Astrid walked around the table, taking a set beside Thorin, "Snotlout has always been one for melodramatics"

"I do not begrudge him of his feelings" replied Thorin

"Listen lad, we all believe you are who you say you are, others will soon come around if they get to know you" replied Gobber, patting Thorin lightly on the back. Thorin shifted his gaze towards the main doors of the hall, exhaling deeply.

"And that is where the problem lies, I cannot linger here"

"What do you mean, you can't leave, you've only just come back?" Astrid asked, gently placing her hand on Thorin's shoulder.

"Thorin….you can't just leave, I lost you once before, I am not going to lose you again" Valka was almost pleading with her son, she could not bear to go through that pain again.

"Mother, under any other circumstance, I would stay here, but I can't. I have important work to do…and…..Hiccup must come with me"

Astrid leapt from her seat, her arms crossed firmly.

"WHAT! Absolutely not, Hiccup is not going anywhere!" she bellowed, taking the others all slightly off guard. Thorin however, was unfazed.

"I appreciate your feeling for him Miss Hofferson, but there is far more at stake here than you could possibly imagine"

"Oh for the love of Thor, can you please stop talking in riddles!" Astrid threw her arms into the air in frustration. Valka gently took Astrid by the arm.

"Astrid please, calm down, let him explain" Astrid shot an angry glare at Valka.

"You're actually considering this?!" Astrid bellowed, her echoing voice grabbing the attention of a few other Vikings who were scattered across the hell, "What could be so important that Hiccup has to leave?"

Thorin locked eyes with Astrid, a steely seriousness in his gaze.

"The impending destruction of the world" he replied

Astrid quickly snapped her mouth shut. That certainly was not what she expected to hear.

"What are you talking about?" asked Gobber, scratching his long moustache. Thorin nodded his head towards the door, monition g for the others to turn around. Standing in the doorway were two other men, dressed in the same dark robes as Thorin. Each of the carried a similar looking bow and sword as well. The two men were helping a frail and old looking man into the hall, his eyes covered by a strip of cloth, his hands extended as if he was trying to feel his way around the room.

"Everyone, I would like you to meet Mecius Vunnis"


	11. Chapter 11 - Destiny

With pain in his leg subsided, and conformation that the wound would not be infected, Elina had allowed Hiccup to leave the house.

"I think it would be a good idea to take a small walk, get some strength back in your leg"

"But Astrid said for me to meet her here?" Hiccup protested.

Don't argue with me Hiccup…" Elina frowned, crossing her arms "…you may be the chief, but when it comes to your health, it would be wise for you to listen to me"

Again, Hiccup knew arguing would not work, so gradually he slipped off the bed, using the wall to support himself as he walked towards the door. Hiccup stepped out of the healers' house as the sun was beginning to rise as dawn broke. He sensed a change in the sky in the east due to the snow covered mountain tops becoming brighter. The gradual sunrise was truly beautiful as the sun peeked over the horizon.

After a few ginger steps out of the house, Hiccup was becoming more familiar on his feet. In fact, he felt almost no pain at all from the arrow wound.

The sky was pink like a sea of cotton candy, with the light of the sun colouring the clouds above with a pinkish hue. As the sun slowly ascended, the sky in the west became deep neon blue as the light reached further out. Hiccup loved the morning, the sun not yet hot, the nigh dew still clinging to the ground, making it glisten and sparkling in the morning light. Birds would sing to each other through the trees, and the honey bees were already at work.

Hiccup would often spend hours staring into the sky, whether on foot or from the back of his dragon…..

"Oh my gods, Toothless?!"

Hiccup almost felt guilty as the revelation that he had practically ignored his best friend all night hit him. He turned a full circle looking for his friend, but the Night Fury was nowhere to be seen.

"Toothless?" he called quietly, listening for a few moments at the almost silence of the village. But soon, he heard the familiar thud of footsteps approach, as his dragon reared round the corner of a nearby hut, bounding towards him in excitement.

"Hey bud, I'm glad to see you….."

OPPPHHH

Hiccup thudded hard into the ground, landing squarely on his back. Small amounts of dust swirled up into the air, covering his already dirty clothes. Hiccup shook his head, rubbing his eyes as he tried to sit up, only to be greeted by a giant wet tongue licking his face.

"GAHHH, TOOTHLESS!" Hiccup laughed. Toothless continued to lick Hiccup, covering his face and hair in copious amounts of saliva. Hiccup did his best to shield himself, but his dragon was determined to cover him from head to toe.

Hiccup dug his heel into the ground and pushed off hard, rolling backwards and away from his dragons' slobbery onslaught. Picking himself up off the ground, his hair stuck to his face, Hiccup flailed his arms, trying to get as much drool of his as possible.

"You know that doesn't wash out!"

Toothless merely gurgled in amusement. Hiccup looked around for anything he could use to wipe the saliva of his face, and spotted a few rags hanging from the porch of the healers' house. Grabbing one of them, he wiped his face clean and did his best to dry out his hair, but he was definitely going to need a wash later. Hiccup shot his dragon a look of annoyance, but also of slight happiness. He was glad his friend was okay, he wasn't quite sure what had happened after he had been hit with the arrow.

"Well I'm glad to see you're okay bud" Hiccup smiled, patting his dragon on the head. Toothless nuzzled his head against Hiccups hand, emitting a low satisfied growl. Hiccup looked around for any sign of Astrid, his mother or his friends, but all he saw was furrowed brows. The whole island was still in slight shock from the previous day's events, a huge fleet of Berserker ships bearing down on your home is enough to give anyone the jitters.

Looking around, Hiccup could see most of the men carrying large planks of wood from the mill at the edge of the woods, through the square and towards the docks, eager to being to begin the repair work. If the Berserker fleet returned, they would need their ships and sea defences ready. Hiccup made himself a little mental note to make sure he went and checked on that later. The youngest children continued to laugh and play as they always did, oblivious to the fact that their homes may be in grave danger. A small smile crept across Hiccups face at their naivety, one of the joys of youth he guessed, to be able to carry on as normal no matter what was going on in the world. The elder kids and the women huddled in small groups, quietly discussing what had happened the previous day. He never normally eavesdropped on any ones conversations, but Hiccup was sure he overheard them mention something about a strange man in a hooded robe.

Toothless gave Hiccup a gentle nudge with his snout, encouraging Hiccup to start walking. Hiccup looked down at his dragon, a small glint in his eyes that Hiccup had never seen before. For a moment, he almost thought that Toothless was trying to speak to him

_"__No that's crazy, dragons can't talk…" _Hiccup thought to himself _"…but then again, so much crazy stuff has happened lately"_

Taking small, ginger steps, Hiccup started his walk through the village, Toothless following closely at his heels. A small twinge still emitted through his leg with each step, but the pain was not nearly as great as it had been the previous day, Elina truly was an excellent healer. The pair passed group after group of people, a few acknowledging them, but most keeping themselves huddled. Hiccup hated seeing his people live in such fear, and he was determined to set things right. It was his duty as chief, to keep them safe, he had done it before, and he knew he could do it again.

It didn't take long for Hiccup and Toothless to reach the front porch of their home. Hiccup led his dragon companion round the side of the house to the large dragon pen that he had constructed only a few short months ago. Toothless bounded into the pen, heading straight for the feeding station, gulping down fish after fish.

"Who, slow down buddy, you don't want to make yourself ill again"

Toothless however was far to occupied with his breakfast, and continued to swallow down the fish in large quantities. Hiccup decided it would be best to leave his friend to enjoy his meal, walking back out of the pen to his front door, pushing it open with a small creak.

"Astrid, I'm home…" Hiccup closed the door before turning back into the main room, "…I know you said you come to the healers this morning but….."

Hiccup stopped midway through his sentence. Astrid, Valka, Gobber and his friends were all seated in the chairs scattered across the living room. Thorin stood close to the window, small waves of smoke drifting from his pipe. Hiccup saw that they all had the same expression on their faces, one of extreme worry.

"Uh….what's going on guys?" asked Hiccup, looking from Astrid to his mother and back. Astrid pushed herself up of the couch, walked over to Hiccup and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him into a close embrace. Hiccup was quick to replicate the hug, holding Astrid close to him, taking in the strawberry scent of her hair.

"Hiccup, we…need to talk to you"

Astrid motioned to an empty chair at the head of the room. Hiccup gave her a quizzing look before hobbling to the chair and taking his seat. Astrid sat on the arm of the chair next to him, putting her arm around his shoulder. Gobber was sat in a chair directly opposite, and took a long deep breath before speaking.

"Look, Thorin came to see us all last night after we left the healers. He told us everything, and…..as much as it pains me to say this….but you have to go with him"

"What? No, I can't leave"

"Hiccup, you have to see the bigger picture here, the world is in danger and you are the only one who can save it"

"No, I won't just abandon my people…" Hiccup retorted, quickly rising from his chair "…we were just attacked by Berserkers, and if they come back, I need to be here"

"We know you don't want to leave Hiccup, but we really don't see any other choice" said Valka, who had also risen from her seat. Astrid took Hiccups hand, giving it a gentle reassuring squeeze.

"You don't understand guys, I can't just go"

Thorin extinguished his pipe, wafting the last few waves of smoke out of the window.

"Hiccup; there is someone you must speak with"

Thorin motioned his hand towards the stairs. Hiccup stared at his brother, unsure of whether to follow him. Glancing a quick look to Astrid, who also nodded her head towards the stair, he began to walk towards Thorin, who had already begun to ascend the stairs. Using the wooden rails to support his weight, Hiccup followed Thorin to the upper levels of the house, along the corridor towards the spare bedroom. Pushing open the door, Hiccup saw two men in the dark robes standing beside the bed. Lying on the bed was an old man, a strip of cloth covering his eyes.

"Hiccup, this is Mecius Vunnis, go Mecius, tell him what he needs to hear"

The old man turned his head at the mention of his voice. Hiccup cautiously approached, the two other hooded men standing aside to allow him to approach the old man.

"Ah, so this is the one…" The old man spoke with a very raspy voice, struggling to get the words out "…please come closer"

Hiccup dropped to a knee next to Mecius

"I do not have much time left. I have grown old, and ill, and my time is almost at an end. Before I leave this earth, there is something you must know. Many years ago, I lived in a land far from here as a Moth Priest. My Job was simple, to read and decipher a group of ancient artefacts, known as the Elder Scrolls, for the empire that ruled the land. These scrolls of unknown origin, contained our worlds past, present and future…"

"What is he talking about?" Hiccup asked, looking up at Thorin.

"Please Hiccup, let him speak"

Hiccup glared at his brother in annoyance, before turning back to Mecius.

"…reading these scrolls is a dangerous task, even for a Moth Priest like myself, and I with my gift, served the empire with pride. One day, I met my wife, and I decided to leave the dangerous life of a Moth priest behind to raise my family, and live a normal life. Years later…after my wife had…passed away…."

Mecius took a deep gulp, desperately trying to relieve the lump in his throat.

"…I received a letter from Emperor Titus Mead II himself, summoning me to the white tower once again. The Emperor required my skills to read one last Elder Scroll, one that prophesied the destruction of our world. Refusing the summoning of the Emperor was not an option, so I undertook one last dangerous assignment as a Moth priest. But as I was travelling with some companions to the Imperial city, we were ambushed"

Hiccup stared intently at the old man, hanging on his every word.

"You were ambushed, by who? Asked the young chief

"They took us on a ship, across the sea to their homeland. I know not what it was called, but they imprisoned us, tortured us. I was the only one to survive. Their leader is a cruel man, with eyes as a black as night, and a soul to match. His men, called him Dagur"

Hiccup's eyes narrowed, his fist clenched in anger at the mere mention of that name.

"Dagur" he growled

"Yes, he found and took the Elder scroll. I was brought before him, and forced to read the scroll for him. Amid the chaos that the prophecy foretold, I saw…..you"

Hiccups jaw almost dropped to the floor.

"What?" he asked, his voice almost at a whisper

"I saw you, as the ray of light in the darkness, and for a split second, I lost focus in my reading. The consequence was my loss of vision. When Dagur asked me what I had seen, I tried to hide it, but his methods of interrogation broke me. He knows about you, and he knows what you are. That man has a lust for power and control, and he will not rest until he achieves his goal, which means, he will never stop hunting you. He believes that the Elder Scrolls grant power, but this is not true. I tried to explain, but his arrogance blinded him to the truth. Dark times are coming, and the Elder Scrolls see that you are the key to stop the destruction that lies ahead."

The room was then silent, no one wanting to be the first to speak. Hiccup remained on his knee, staring blankly at the floor. How could any of this be real, why did it involve him, and more importantly, what was he to do next. Lifting his gaze, Hiccup looked to Thorin and his companions, his eyes almost crying out for one of them to say something, anything, but the three remained silent. His gaze slowly returned to the ground, not sure where he should look next.

"This can't be real, how do I know that any of this is true"

"Look in that box over there"

Hiccup looked across the room, where an old, rusty, dirt covered chest sat. Getting back to his feet, Hiccup walked across the chest, placing his hand upon the latch. Carefully, he lifted the lid of the chest, and what was inside almost took his breath away. A gold glimmer came from the large object inside the box. Gem stones and carvings sparkled in the early morning light coming through the windows. Hiccup had never seen anything like it before.

"An Elder Scroll" he whispered to himself, resisting the temptation to reach in a touch it. "What must I do?" he asked.

"You will soon learn the role that you are to play, but now, you must go with Thorin. You must travel with him to our homeland. That is where your destiny lies. Promise me; promise me that you will go with him"

Hiccup paused for a moment, closing the lid of the chest, getting to his feet and turning to face the three men.

"I will go with you Thorin"

Thorin nodded in approval to Hiccup.

"Thank you, you will bring peace to our world, goodbye my friends, for now, I will see you in Sovngarde"

Mecius head flopped back against the pillow of the bed, his hand fell limp at his side, exhaling a long breath, before he became completely still. Hiccup dashed to his side, grabbing his hand, which had become ice cold. He pressed his fingers against the old man's neck, but he could not find a pulse. Thorin stepped forward, placing a steady hand on Hiccups shoulder.

"He is at peace now Hiccup. We leave at dawn tomorrow"

Hiccup placed Mecius hands across his chest, his eyes never leaving the body. Thorin motioned to the other men in the room, who walked over the Mecius lifeless body, and began wrapping him inside the furs that lay across the bed.

"We should prepare a funeral pyre"

"No" replied Thorin, "we will take his body back with us. He would have wanted to be laid to rest in his homeland"

Hiccup nodded

"So, where exactly are we going?"

Thorin took his hand from his brothers' shoulder and walked over to the window. After staring out of the window for a few moments, he turned back to Hiccup.

"Skyrim"

* * *

**Hey guys, so sorry for taking so long to get another chapter up, I had so many different thoughts about where to end this chapter, but decided this would be a good stopping point. Thank you to everyone who has commented and liked the story so far. The next chapter will detail the start Hiccups journey to Skyrim, what plot twist await him, who knows? Credit for the scenes involving Mecius and Hiccup have to go to Yong Yea, an amazing video maker. The scene was inspired from his Dragonborn Part I movie, so go check him out at ** user/YongYea


	12. Chapter 12 - The Journey Begins

Hiccup descended the stairs back into the living room. Astrid, Valka and the others looked up as the sound of his prosthetic clunked against the wooden steps. Thorin and the other hooded men followed closely behind, carrying Mecius body down the stairs.

"What happened? Where is Mecius" asked Valka. As Hiccup reached the foot of the stairs, he looked back towards Thorin and the two hooded men following him down, carrying the large fur wrap in their arms.

"He's…he's dead" Hiccup sighed.

Everyone in the room sunk into their chairs. Even though they didn't know Mecius that well, they still felt a sting of sadness. It was another death on Berk, another name to add to the sadly ever growing list of people who had lost their lives on their island.

"I bet those thugs killed him!" Snotlout spat. Hiccup, Valka and Astrid all collectively glared at Snotlout. Clearly his distrust of them had not dwindled.

"Don't be stupid Snotlout" Fishlegs retorted "Thorin would never do that"

"He's right Snot" Gobber interjected "Mecius was a very old man. The abuse he must have had to suffer from Dagur would have been too much for most of us to handle. It was just his time to go"

Snotlout's piercing stare did not leave Thorin. Hiccup walked across the room until he was stood in front of Astrid, who could see that his mind was troubled.

"Astrid….I…..I need to….." he stammered, not entirely sure how to phrase his next words. His eyes drifted around the room, looking anywhere but in her eyes, he did not want to see the disappointment when he told her he had to leave. Astrid lifted her hand to his face, gently moving his head so that their eyes eventually met.

"It's okay Hiccup, I know"

Hiccup peered into Astrid's eyes, a small but modest smile on her face. In that brief moment, he once again silently thanked the Gods for bringing her into his life.

"So what did he tell you?" asked Ruffnut. Hiccup broke his gaze with Astrid and turned to face the group.

"He told me everything, about his life as a Moth Priest, the Elder Scrolls, how he was captured by Dagur…and that I must go with Thorin" Hiccup replied. Thorin stepped forward, resting his hand on Hiccups back.

"We sail at dawn tomorrow. It is a 2 day journey to Skyrim, so I suggest we all leave Hiccup to rest up, he will need it" Thorin stepped aside, allowing his men to carry Mecius body out of the house. Hiccup watched as the body passed by, a small lump developed in his throat. He had seen far too much death over the course of his life, and now it was happening again. As the hooded men left the house, Hiccup turned back to the group.

"Whilst I'm away, I need you all to keep an eye on things around the village"

"Don't worry Hiccup, we will take care of everything" Valka assured him. Hiccup smiled at his mother. He knew that she, Gobber and Astrid would be able to handle running the village, but his other friends, he was not so sure. The group of Vikings all got to their feet and began heading to the front door, filing out of the house in single file. Snotlout was the last of the group to leave the house, shooting a menacing look at Thorin as he stepped onto the front porch, closing the door behind him with a quiet click. Hiccup, Astrid, Valka and Thorin were now the only ones left in the room. Toothless poked his head into the room through the window, his ears pricked up in anticipation of what was going on.

"Looks like we have a long journey ahead of us tomorrow buddy, best you get some rest" Hiccup stepped over to the window, giving his friend a gentle pat on the snout.

"I'm sorry Hiccup, but we cannot take any dragons with us"

"What? Why?" Hiccup protested

"Skyrim is a dangerous place, and dragons are not exactly highly thought of. The moment someone sees Toothless, they will attack him, even kill him. It will not be safe for him; neither will it be safe for us travelling with a dragon"

"But if we show them that he is not dangerous, surely they will….."

"No Hiccup, they will not…" Thorin interrupted "…he must remain on Berk. You must trust me on this. I do not want to put your friend in any danger"

Hiccup wanted to argue, but the simple fact was he didn't know what to expect when they arrived in Skyrim. Thorin had spent the best part of 20 years there, and clearly had a greater understanding of what they would encounter. Hiccup turned back to Toothless, whose ears had dropped slightly at the mention that he would not be able go with them

"Sorry bud, but I don't want to put you in danger either, so I guess you'll have to stay here and guard the village for me"

Toothless murmured a sad gurgle at Hiccup, prodding his rider in the chest with his snout.

"No Toothless, I want to take you with me, but if you got hurt, I would never forgive myself. You have to stay here, for me, okay?"

Toothless clearly was not happy at the prospect of being left behind. He had nearly lost Hiccup on a few occasions in the past, and didn't like leaving his side for anything. But it seemed his human companion was intent on leaving him behind. The dragon slumped out of the window, and slowly trudged back to his pen in a bit of a sulk.

Hiccup watched as his best friend slinked away. He knew that leaving Toothless behind would be difficult, but he understood that it was for the best. The house was now completely silent. Hiccup flopped down into the nearest chair he could see, running his hands through his hair, staring at the ceiling. Astrid took a seat next to him, putting her hands on his knee.

"I can't believe this is. It's only been a few years, and again I'm being dragged into some kind of war. Do the gods hate me or something, why can't they just let me live a normal life?"

Astrid stroked one her hands through Hiccups hair, their fingers meeting and intertwining.

"The gods don't hate you Hiccup. Sometimes things just happen"

"No offence Astrid, but that isn't particularly comforting" Hiccup shrugged, sinking deeper into his seat

In all the years that she had known him, Astrid could usually find a way to make Hiccup see sense it whatever it was he was doing, whether it be good or bad. But this time something was different. She could see how tired he was, both physically and mentally. They had all been through so much in the past few years, but Hiccup had suffered more than anybody. After his father died, Hiccup had a massive weight placed on his shoulders. Running the village, keeping peace between Berk and the other tribes, she could tell it was beginning to weigh him down, and now all this. But she had made herself a promise many years ago, that no matter how much pain he was in, no matter how much he wanted to give up, she would not let him. She would be his rock, his go to girl.

"Hiccup, I understand how you must be feeling right now. This is all so much to take in. But you are Chief of the Hairy Hooligans, one of the strongest men I have ever met. I know you can do this"

Hiccup rolled his head to the side so he was looking dead into her eyes.

"But what if I can't"

"You can, I know you can. I've never seen you back away from anything in your life, and I seriously doubt you're going to start now"

Hiccup turned his gaze back towards the ceiling, exhaling loudly and closing his eyes.

"This isn't the same Astrid. I've never left the island like this before; I always have some kind of plan, but now, when I get to this place, Skyrim, I don't know what I'm supposed to do? or how long I am going to be away for"

"I know your scared Hiccup. I don't want you to leave either, but you heard what Mecius said, there is no other way"

For a few moments, Hiccup didn't respond. Astrid stoked his leg with her thumb, willing him to say something. The quiet in the room made the tension almost unbearable. Hiccup pushed himself up from the chair until he was sitting upright, resting his arms on his knees. Astrid moved her hand fro his hair and rubbed his back, the warmth of his leather shirt radiated through her fingers. In any other situation, she would have enjoyed that feeling, but not today.

"And what if that dragon comes back? I can't leave with that thing on the loose"

Astrid had somehow almost forgotten about the rouge dragon. Hiccup was right, if that beast came back, they would need every strong dragon rider they could muster to fight it.

"He's right Thorin. If that dragon attacks us again, we are going to need Hiccup here" Valka asked. Thorin meanwhile had moved to the window, perching himself on the sill, the now familiar wafts of smoke billowing from his pipe.

"Don't worry about that dragon; I have already put measures in place to protect the village"

"What do you mean?" Hiccup asked.

"You didn't honestly think that I came here with just two other men did you?" Thorin chuckled. Hiccup found it amazing that despite everything that was happening, Thorin always seemed cool and relaxed.

"You mean there are more of you here?" asked Valka. Thorin took a deep inhale from his pipe, blowing to smoke out in an almost perfect spiral that danced through the air.

"Yes, we did not know what we would encounter on our journey. When Mecius was kidnapped, I did not want to risk being outnumbered. But I believe that our journey back to Skyrim will not be as perilous, so I leave these men here, under your command Miss Hofferson"

"Under my command?" Astrid replied a little surprised.

"I may not have known you for very long….Astrid…." Hiccup, Astrid and Valka all stayed silent. This was the first time they had heard Thorin call someone apart from Hiccup by their first name "…but I can see that you are a gifted warrior, and these men will follow your orders…even to death"

Hopping down from the window sill, Thorin began to walk across the room. Hiccup, Astrid and Valka watched as Thorin opened the front door, stepping out onto the porch. The trio rose from their seats and followed Thorin onto the porch, where they were greeted by a remarkable sight.

Row after row of men stood outside the Haddock home. Unlike Thorin, they wore brown leather garments, large armoured shoulder pads and carried a huge variety of weapons, from swords, spears and exes to bows and throwing knives. As the group stepped out onto the front porch, the men slapped their arms across their chest in a similar manner to the way Thorin had to Hiccup the night before.

"Thorin, who are these guys?" asked Hiccup

"These are the Companions, some of the most gifted, bravest and fiercest warriors in Skyrim" replied Thorin, who returned the arm gesture back to the men.

"This is unreal" Astrid said in astonishment.

"How did you all get here?" queried Valka

"Our ships are moored just of shore on the south side of the island" Thorin responded

"Incredible" Astrid murmured to herself

Thorin walked down the steps and started issuing instructions to the Companion soldiers. Hiccup watch in awe at the respect these men were giving his brother. Thorin was clearly a gifted leader, and would no doubt of made a great chief of the tribe. It was that thought that weighed on Hiccups mind. Thorin was the rightful heir to become chief of the tribe, and if he hadn't been lost all those years ago, he would have been. Would he have been able to live a peaceful life if that had happened? It was the age old question that had plagued not only Vikings, but the entire world, What If?

The Companions soon disbanded to their various posts and duties Thorin had assigned to them.

"I suggest you get some rest Hiccup. While the journey may not prove to be dangerous, it is long, and you will need all your strength. I will return at dawn, and then we must go". Thorin slapped his arm across his chest, before turning and walking in the direction of the southern beaches.

"But what about the docks repairs, I really think I should go and help?" Hiccup called at Thorin.

"Don't worry about those Hiccup, I'll make sure everything is taken care of, you just rest okay. Thorin wait, I'll come with you" Valka cried after Thorin. Glancing a quick smile to both Hiccup and Astrid, she took off after Thorin, Cloudjumper trotting close behind her. Hiccup and Astrid stood silent for a few moments, before Astrid intertwined her fingers with his. The couple turned, and walked back into the house.

* * *

Leaping from his till crippled ship, Dagur landed with a hard thud on the docks of Berserker Island. The crew threw various mooring lines to the soldiers waiting on the docks.

"Get what supplies we have left of the ships, and get to work on those repairs. No one sleeps until they are finished, am I understood?!" Dagur bellowed. None of the men where brave or dumb enough to argue, and set to work repairing the ship. Dagur stormed away from the docks, pushing his way through the crowd that had gathered to greet them. Dagur had never been so angry in his entire life. His once mighty fleet, destroyed by a single man, all his plans were ruined.

The seething Berserker chief made his way up the long winding path from the docks towards his home. Groups of soldiers passed him by, carry large planks of wood and swatches of cloth towards the docks, none of them daring to make eye contact with him. That was probably for the best, for the mood Dagur was in, anyone who looked at him in an odd way would have been cut down on the spot.

Dagur's house was located at the very top of the village. Truth be told, it was more like a small mead hall than a house due to its size and grandeur, towering over the buildings around it as if attempting to intimidate anyone who came near it. The black granite of the stone walls glistened as the sun beat down on it. Twisted wooden kept the property enclosed, with wild, untrimmed hedges surrounded the house. The roof was peaked, slanting down at an angle. The windows had dark purple curtains hanging on the other side of them, emblazed with the symbol of the Skrill, and a giant dragon skull protruded from a plinth above the front door.

Dagur violently pushed open the gate and walked up the path to the front of the house. Dagur threw the front door open with an almighty crash, before slamming it closed it with equal ferocity. Unbuckling his sword holster, the enraged chief launched it across the entrance hall, where it slammed into the furthest wall and thudded to the floor.

Dagur stood, his fist clenched, his breath hissing through his gritted teeth. Now he would have to come up with an entirely new plan, and he couldn't use brute force anymore without his fleet of ships. Marching over to his workspace, Dagur slammed his fists down hard, causing several objects that had been lying on the surface to scatter across the table and fall to the floor. He would be angry enough if his invasion plan had simply failed, but now he had no other ideas of how to get to Hiccup and get rid of him, which made him even more livid.

Dagur gripped his fists so tight that his knuckles began to turn white, pounding his fists on the table over and over again, causing more objects to be sent flying.

CLANG!

Dagur stopped slamming his fist into the hard wood as the sound of metal clanking of stone echoed throughout the room. A small copper coloured cylinder had dropped to the floor and rolled against his foot. Reaching down, Dagur picked up the object, twirling it in his hands.

"What is this?" Dagur asked himself. He had ploughed every artefact he had taken from the moth priests over and over again, but he didn't recognise this one. His fingers brushed against a slight ridge at the top of the object. Griping it in his hands, Dagur gave the item a sharp twist. The top of the cylinder twisted ever so slightly in his hands. After a few more turns, the top of the cylinder lifted off. Peering into the now open cylinder, Dagur saw a single roll of parchment tucked neatly inside. With a slight shake, the piece of parchment fell from the cylinder onto the table, but before he had a chance to examine it, there was a knock on the door.

"Enter" called Dagur. The door opened and a single soldier walked into the house.

"Uh….my lord….we….we uhm….."

"Oh, enough of your babbling. Come over here"

The soldier cautiously approached the Chief, who was now unwrapping the parchment and smoothing it out across the table. Both men examined the strange markings.

"What is this sire?"

"It….it looks like a map" Dagur replied.

"A map?"

"Yes, look at the markings; they look like tidal current flows. The only way, according to these charts, that those bastards who freed the moth priest could have got here is from the south. And look here, there is only one possible root they could have taken"

The soldier looked at the odd sketches on the paper. Several lines had been drawn between what looked like a near perfect copy of the outline of Berserker Island, heading both towards and away from the shorelines.

"Where did the map come from? We looked at all the items we took from the prisoners, and I've never seen this one before"

"One of those fools who freed the priest must have dropped it, and now, that mistake is playing right into my hands" Dagur replied

"So what does this mean my lord?" asked the soldier. A sinister smile was creeping onto Dagur's face.

"It means we have a new plan. How soon can the ships be ready to sail?"

That's actually why I came to see you sir. The main ship will be ready by midday tomorrow; the repairs are not as extensive as we first thought"

"Good, as soon as we are able, we set sail. Take this map to the helmsman, tell him to commit it to memory, then destroy it" Dagur handed the map to the soldier, who bowed his head and scurried out of the house.

"So my friend, you thought you could avoid me forever. Well, thanks to that map, I know where you are going, and trust me, you will never set foot on that land, because I am going to hunt you down and take back my scroll before you ever get there. Prepare yourself Hiccup, for these days are your last!"

Dagur emitted a maniacal laugh. His plot couldn't fail this time.

* * *

A loud banging on the door woke Hiccup and Astrid with a start. The morning sun had not yet risen above the horizon, but the inky blackness of night was slowly giving way to orange streams of daylight. Hiccup stretched his arms out and yawned loudly, whilst Astrid sat up on the edge of the bed, brushing her hair from her face and reaching for her clothes that hung neatly on the back of a chair. The couple had spent the rest of the previous day packing a few items for Hiccup to take with him for the Journey to Skyrim. They weren't anything extravagant, just his notebook, extra clothes and his dagger. The second round of banging on the door was louder than the first.

"Okay we're coming, hold your horses" Astrid shouted, giving Hiccup a gentle shake "Come on babe, it's time"

Hiccup blinked a few times before wiping his face with his hands and exhaling loudly. Astrid stood up from the bed and started to get dressed. Hiccup pushed the covers off and grabbed his flight suit. Even though he wouldn't be flying to Skyrim, his suit did have a couple of other features that he thought would come in handy, hence his decision to wear it. After a few minutes, both Vikings were ready. Hiccup grabbed his satchel from of the floor and slung it over his shoulder.

"Right, let's go"

Astrid nodded and followed Hiccup out of the bedroom and down the stairs. Opening the front door, Thorin was waiting on the front porch.

"Are you ready?" he asked. Hiccup looked to Astrid, how gave him a reassuring smile and clasped his and in hers.

"I'm ready"

"Let's go"

The trio stepped of the front porch of the house and began walking towards the southern beaches. Very few of the other villagers had risen in the early hours of the morning, only a few of the farmers and a group of men still working on the repairs to the docks. Hiccup had decided it was best not to tell the entire village that he was leaving, that would have created even more panic. Instead, Astrid would address the village later that day and explain the situation.

As the group walked, Hiccup took in everything that he saw. He was truly going to miss his home, from the smell of the bakery in the morning, the sound of the sea crashing into the rocks, the whoosh of dragons flying overhead, but most of all, the feeling he got when he woke up every day with Astrid beside him.

But for all the things he would miss, there were a few that he would not, the constant bickering of the twins, Snotlout's mood swings and the painful memories of everyone he had lost over the past few years. Maybe this journey would give him time to come to terms with everything had had happened, help him find closure and let him move on.

Soon, the familiar sound of heavy footsteps caught up with them, as Toothless and Stormfly trotted out of the pen and walked side by side with their riders. Hiccup smiled down at his friend, placing a reassuring hand on the long black snout of his Night Fury. Astrid gave Stormfly a gentle stroke across her neck.

The group made their way past the village, walking in absolute silence along the path that lead to the southern beaches. The trees either side of the path had just started coming into bloom, and flurries of white and pink flowers sprouted from the grass all around them. A gentle breeze gave the air a cold chill, sending small shivers down Hiccups spine. Astrid noticed this, and wrapped her arm around Hiccups back, rubbing his spine to keep him warm. Hiccup reciprocated this by wrapping his arm around Astrid.

Passing over the final crest on the patch, the beach came into view. A small fleet of 4 ships had been anchored a few hundred yards of shore, a rag tag collection of row boats had been pulled up onto the beach, held in place by a large wooden stake and mooring ropes. Hiccup couldn't see any other Companion soldiers, but did see Valka, Gobber and his friends waiting for him.

Steeping onto the sand, the trio walked slowly towards the boats. Valka was the first to notice them approach, her eyes red a slightly puffy. Hiccup could see that she had been crying. Valka began walking towards them, wrapping her arms around Hiccup as soon as he was within reach, her body shaking slightly with quiet sobs. Hiccup dropped his satchel to the ground and hugged his mother back.

"You come back alive, you hear me, I won't lose any more members of my family" Valka choked, her voice muffled in Hiccups shoulder.

"Don't worry Mom, I will be okay"

Valka raised her head from Hiccup shoulder, which was now slightly moist from her tears.

"I'm so proud of you Hiccup, and I know your father would be too"

Hiccup smiled at his mother. Valka broke her hug and stepped back. Gobber was the next to approach. He grasped Hiccups hand and gave it a vigorous shake.

"You stay safe now lad"

"Thank you Gobber" Hiccup nodded to Gobber. After releasing the handshake, Hiccup walked over to Fishlegs, Snotlout and the Twins.

"Okay guys, I need you to take care of the academy whilst I'm away, so please, don't do anything stupid" Hiccup shot a look at the twins in particular.

"Why does he always look at us when he says things like that" Tuffnut asked. Ruffnut merely shrugged in response. Hiccup turned to Snotlout, who had once again locked his sights on Thorin.

"Look Snot, Thorin is my brother, you can trust him"

Snotlout huffed in reply, before turning and walking away from the group. Hiccup shook his head as he watched his friend depart. He was touched that Snotlout cared about his safety, but the whole dis-trust act was growing old pretty quickly. Hiccup looked to Toothless, a small lump developed in his throat. Toothless nuzzled his head against Hiccups leg, his wide eyes making this goodbye even more difficult.

"Okay buddy, I will be back as soon as I can, but I need you to hold the fort for me until I get home. Can you do that for me?"

The Night Fury gurgled in reply. Hiccup dropped to his knees and wrapped his arms around his best friend. The dragon closed his eyes and accepted the hug from his human. Hiccup scratched Toothless under his chin before returning to his feet. Lastly, Hiccup turned to Astrid, taking her hands in his.

"I'm going to miss you so much Hiccup" Astrid was doing her very best to fight back the tears. Hiccup wrapped his arms around her, holding her close to his chest and kissing her forehead. Astrid allowed herself to sink into his embrace, savouring the warmth from his body and the gently sound of his breath. Hiccup lifted her chin so that their eyes met, and she could tell he was fighting back tears as well.

"Astrid, there is something I've wanted to say for a long time"

Astrid cocked her head in confusion. Hiccup began fumbling through his pocket.

"Hiccup, I'm sorry, but we must go now, the tide is with us and we cannot wait" Thorin called from nearby the rowboats. Hiccup looked at Thorin with an almost pleading expression.

"Could I just get a minute?" Hiccup asked, turning back to face Astrid.

"We don't have a minute Hiccup, we must go now" Thorin replied

"It's okay Hiccup, I will be waiting right here when you come back…..go" Astrid planted a kiss on his lips. Hiccup's heart was breaking, he almost couldn't bear to say goodbye to her. He never wanted to break the kiss, but he knew that he had no choice. When their lips finally parted, a single tear had escaped Astrid's eyes. Hiccup wiped the tear away with his hand, resting his palm on her cheek.

"I love you Astrid"

"I love you too"

Hiccup slowly backed away from Astrid, keeping hold of her hand until their grip separated. Not wanting to look back and, Hiccup trudged down the beach towards the rowboat. Tossing his satchel to Thorin, Hiccup hopped into the boat. The older Viking placed Hiccup bag in the back of the boat, and shoved it back into the surf before jumping aboard himself. Hiccup kept his eyes locked firmly on the horizon, he didn't think he could bear to turn around and watch his home, his friend and his family disappear into the distance.

Thorin paddled the boat further and further away from the shore, until they clunked against the hull of the larger ship that was waiting for them. Looking up at the vessel, Hiccup saw a name painted onto the back, The Northern Maiden. A member of the crew threw down a rope ladder, which landed a few feet in front of Hiccup.

This was it, no turning back. Hiccup could feel his heart pounding in his chest, a mixture of emotions rushed through his body, sadness at leaving his home behind, but also a small amount of excitement for this adventure he was about to go on. Grasping at one of the runs of the ladder, Hiccup began his accession, his satchel dangling from his back. Pulling his way up the ladder, Hiccup climbed onto the deck of the ship. It was larger than any of the traditional Viking ships docked on Berk, at least 30 feet longer and much taller. A single mast protruded from the deck, a square sail neatly folded in the rigging. A man walked across the deck, throwing his arms around Thorin in a strong embrace.

"I received your message Thorin, it has been too long my friend" laughed the man. Thorin laughed back as the two men hugged. Hiccup stood a few feet away, feeling a little uncomfortable.

"Hiccup, it is my pleasure to introduce you to Gjalund Salt-Sage, the captain of the Northern Maiden, and one of my oldest friends" Thorin smiled, slapping his hand onto Gjalund's shoulder.

"I wouldn't pay much head to his wild stories young master…" Gjalund laughed to Hiccup "…we have had a fair share of scraps over the years, but most of them where because of him"

"But we always survived did we not" The two men howled with laughter again. Hiccup wasn't really sure how to act. Gjalund approached the younger Viking, clasping both his hand around Hiccups. His grip was strong, making Hiccup wince slightly as his hand was squeezed by the rough and course skin of the captain, no doubt caused from many years sailing the seas.

"So, you must be Hiccup, Thorin has told me about you. I have to say Thorin, he is…..smaller than I was expecting"

"Size does not make a warrior Gjalund, but heart and spirit. I promise you, my brother has both in ample quantities" Thorin smiled at Hiccup, who was beginning to feel a little more at ease.

"It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance Master Hiccup" Gjalund smiled before releasing Hiccups hand.

"And yours" Hiccup replied, shaking his hand to try and get some feeling back into it.

"Well let's not waste any more time shall we, RLEASE THE SAILS, WEIGHT ANCHOR, SET A COURSE FOR SKYRIM!" bellowed Gjalund. The crew of the ship began scampering around the deck, yanking the ropes to release the sails and pulling the anchor back on board. Hiccup walked to the edge of the ship and gazed out at the open ocean. The wind blew in his face, a smell of salt and spray reaching his nostrils, as the ship slowly began to move as the sails filled.

Hiccup tentatively looked back to the shore line. Fishlegs and the Twins had caught up with Snotlout and were walking along the path back towards the village, Gobber and Valka followed closely behind them. The only things he could see on the beach were the ever decreasing outlines of Astrid and Toothless. The ship sailed further away from Berk, until all it was a mere spec on the horizon.

* * *

**Wow, longest chapter I have ever written. I am on Holiday for the next 14 days so I wanted to get a decent chapter up before I go away. I will try and do some more writing whilst I am away but I don't know how much I am going to be able to do. I hope you are all enjoying reading the story so far as I am writing it. So Hiccup is on his way to Skyrim, will the journey be as simple as he hopes, something tells me…..no. Stayed Tuned**


	13. Chapter 13 - Aurora

The late evening sun had given way to dark night skies. A glow in the east peaked above the horizon. The heavens gave way to the twinkling of stars and what Hiccup thought we be the glow of the new moon. But the moon never appeared. Instead, the luminous white glow expanded and took on a slightly greenish cast, and soon, the skies began to move. Hiccup gazed at the dancing night skies with absolute wonder.

"It is called the Aurora. It can only be seen from certain parts of the world"

Hiccup jumped slightly as he had not even noticed Thorin standing behind him. His brother chuckled as he walked and stood beside him, gazing up at the night sky. The ghostly glow swayed left, then right, undulating like a sheet in the wind. Hiccup was transfixed. He'd heard of such phenomenon described in children's story books as moving and mystical, but now that he was seeing it for himself, he found words inadequate to describe what it looked like.

"Every northern culture has legends about the Aurora…" Thorin continued "…One Inuit myth holds that the lights are torches held in the hands of Spirits seeking the souls of those who have just died, to lead them over the abyss terminating the edge of the world. Another holds that the lights are the visible spirits of unborn children playing in the heavens"

"And what do you think they are?" Hiccup asked

"I wish I knew" Thorin shrugged

For a while, the brothers stood and marvelled at the dancing night sky, Thorin clutching his pipe, which was starting to become a bit of a trademark for him in Hiccups opinion. The ocean was relatively calm that night beside a few waves and the colours in the sky reflected across the water.

"It's beautiful" Hiccup spoke softly

"Yes, but I sense you feel there is something even more beautiful back on Berk" Hiccup looked at Thorin, who had a devious smirk on his face. Hiccup could only laugh in response.

"Is it that obvious?" Hiccup asked.

"Only when it is true love" Thorin replied, walking over to the other side of the ship and taking a seat on the railing surrounding the bridge.

"I couldn't be more in love even if I wanted to" Hiccup smiled, memories of Astrid came flooding to him.

"I am happy for you brother, and I'm sorry that I interrupted your proposal this morning"

"What….how'd you….I mean….I was…." Hiccup stuttered, suddenly shifting on his feet, beads of sweat began forming on his brow. Thorin smiled back at Hiccup

"I saw you fumbling with the little box you have in your pocket before we left your home earlier. But do not worry; you will have time to ask for her hand when you return" Thorin assured Hiccup.

Hiccup reached into his pocket and took out the little box. Opening the lid, a golden ring shone in the light of the lanterns that had been lit across the deck of the ship, a small gemstone twinkling under the lights of the Aurora. Hiccup felt his heart ache for the one that he loved, before snapping the box lid shut and placing it back into his pocket.

"I guess you're right. How could I have proposed and then just left her like that?"

Unfortunately, a slightly bigger wave chose that moment to crash into the side of the ship, sending cold water washing all over the Hooligan chief. Thorin let out a quick chuckle as Hiccup coughed and spluttered, as the water soaked him from head to toe. Hiccup inhaled deeply as the freezing cold water washed over him, seemingly sucking all the air out of his lungs. He quickly shook the water from his hair, and plunged hi hand into his pocket. He let out a relieved sigh when he felt the little box was still there in his pocket, before he then noticed his brother laughing at him.

"No sympathy then?" Hiccup snapped. Thorin took a long drag on his pipe, blowing the smoke into the air in tiny smoke rings.

"There are some clean rags below deck in your cabin. Get yourself dry then get some sleep, we'll be landing in Skyrim at around noon tomorrow."

Hiccup trudged down the deck towards the hatch that led below deck, water dripping behind him. Lifting the hatch, Hiccup descended the short steps into the lower hold of the ship. It was warmer down there than it was on deck, smaller lanterns had been lit across the walls and large furs covered the floor. Behind the small stairway was a door that led to the storage area of the ship, containing the food and water that the crew would need for the trip. Hiccup walked across the small area that had been designated for him to sleep and store his belongings.

Hiccup felt his skin prickle and itch as the cold of the water began to make him shiver. Grabbing the nearest blanket he could find, he rubbed at his face and hair, getting as much of the water of him as he could. Placing the blanket on the edge of the makeshift bed, Hiccup began unbuckling his flight suit; luckily the leather had kept some parts of him dry. He pulled the top half of his suit over his head, exposing his torso to the warm air of the cabin, before placing it over a nearby chair to dry out. But before he could remove his trousers, the creaking of the floorboards behind him made him spin round in surprise.

A young women, maybe four or five years his junior, had walked down the steps into the cabin area. Her hair was a rich shade of mahogany. It flowed in waves to adorn her glowing, porcelain-like skin. Her eyes, framed by long lashes, were a bright, emerald-green and a straight nose, full lips and all the right curves - she seemed the picture of perfection. The girl blushed slightly upon catching sight of Hiccup.

"Oh I'm terribly sorry, I didn't realise anyone else was down here" she stammered, trying not to gaze at Hiccups chiselled chest and abs. Hiccup may have been a skinny teenager, but since his twenties, he had worked incredibly hard to build up his physique, and now boasted an impressive six pack and muscles.

"Uh, it's okay" Hiccup replied, reaching into his satchel and pulling out a replacement white cloth shirt, pulling it quickly over his head.

"You…you must be Hiccup, Thorin's brother?" The women asked nervously

"Yes I am. Who are you?" Hiccup replied, pulling more clothes from his satchel

"My name is Imogen." she replied, taking a seat nearby. Hiccup felt a bit awkward, the young girl was just staring at him.

"Uh…I was just about to change…so if you could…you know…"

"Why? You're not shy are you?" Imogen winked. Hiccup twirled his finger as an indication for her to turn around. The young girl smirked before twirling on the chair to face the wall. Hiccup quickly removed his flight trousers and pulled on a pair of black ones in their place.

"Thorin has told us all so much about you" said Imogen, who peeked and saw Hiccup was dressed so quickly turned back to face him.

"Oh really? what kind of things?" Hiccup asked.

"About how you are the mighty dragon master, the only person in the world who can control a dragon. It's quiet remarkable really. Dragons are vicious, evil creatures, yet you can control them" Imogen bobbed in her seat in excitement. Hiccup smiled as he folded his flight trousers and placed them next to his other wet clothes.

"Well I'm not the only one who can control a dragon, but I was the first" Hiccup shrugged, taking a seat at the edge of his bed.

"You mean you taught others how to do it. That's incredible!" Imogen said gleefully.

"We set up an entire academy dedicated to it, me and my friends. We train younger Vikings in how to control a dragon, but not everyone is totally capable of doing it" Hiccups mind was cast back to the incident with the two teens and their Rumblehorns a few days earlier.

"Maybe one day you could…teach me?" Imogen asked, her cheeks blushing a bright shade of crimson, her eyes fluttering away from Hiccup.

"Uh…yeah, maybe"

"Oh, I know a song you might like, would you like to hear it!" Imogen exclaimed.

"Perhaps another time, I really should get some sleep" Hiccup replied, shuffling his body to lie down on the bed, the fur blankets causing his exposed skin to itch slightly.

"Oh…okay" Imogen looked a little dejected, but she rose from her seat and headed back towards the hatch that led to main deck. Hiccup rested his head against the pillow, but in truth, sleep was the furthest thing from his mind. The last few days had been so crazy, one minute he was training a group of teenagers in the academy, then fighting a rouge dragon, now he was on his way to a land he knew nothing about with a brother he had only just met. If he had told that to anyone else, he would have sounded crazy, accused of telling tall tales, but this was no tale, it was reality.

For what seemed like hours, Hiccup laid on the bed, trying to think of some way to help him fall asleep. Most of the lanterns had been extinguished except as few as Thorin and a few other crew members had come through on their way to their quarters, each of them encouraging him to simply close his eyes and sleep.

_"__Huh, easier said than done"_ Hiccup thought to himself.

The cabin was now completely quiet, the only noises came from the slight squeaks above as a few of the night watch crew pottered around on deck. The ship swayed slightly with the waves, but otherwise continued on its journey. Hiccup watched out of the small port hole next to his bed. The colours of the aurora still flashed across the night sky, albeit not as bright as they had earlier. He could only think of how much Astrid would have loved to see what he had seen.

Suddenly, he heard what sounded like the light strumming of a lute coming from above him. Sitting up, Hiccup listened again. It was definitely a lute, or something very similar to it. Climbing off his bed, Hiccup tip toed across the furs on the floor, trying not to make too much noise and wake the crew who were all sound asleep. He reached the bottom of the wooden steps as the sound became ever so slightly louder. Hiccup climbed the steps and pushed open the hatch to the deck. Looking around, he could not see anyone, until out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Imogen sitting on a small stool towards the front of the ship, strumming her lute softly. Hiccup stepped onto the deck and leaned against the mast, listening as Imogen began to sing;

_Our hero, our hero, Claims the warrior's heart._

_I tell you, I tell you, The Dragonborn comes_

_With a voice wielding power of the ancient Nord art_

_Believe, believe, the Dragonborn comes_

_Hush now my child, let your heart feel no fear_

_Thought the world be on fire, yet our spirts are free_

_No close your eyes and rest, let your worries disappear_

_For I tell you, I tell you, the Dragonborn comes_

_Yes I tell you, I tell you, The Dragonborn comes_

_It's an end to the evil of all Skyrim's foes_

_Beware, beware, the Dragonborn comes_

_For the darkness has passed, and the legend yet grows_

_You'll know, you'll know, the Dragonborn's come_

_Dragonborn, Dragonborn, by his honour is sworn_

_To keep evil forever at bay_

_And the fiercest foes rout, when they hear triumph shout_

_Dragonborn, for your, blessing we praise_

_Harken now sons of snow, to an age long ago_

_And the tale boldly told of the one_

_Who was kin to both Mer, and the races of men_

_With the power to rival the sun_

_And the voice he did wield, on that glorious field_

_In great Tamriel, shuddered with war_

_Mighty Thu'um like a blade, cut through enemies old_

_As the Dragonborn, issued his roar_

_Dragonborn, Dragonborn, by his honour is sworn_

_To keep evil forever at bay_

_And the fiercest foes rout, when they hear triumph shout_

_Dragonborn, for your, blessing we praise_

_Elder scrolls have foretold, of black wings in the cold_

_That when brothers wage war, come unfurled_

_Alduin bane of Kings, ancient shadow unbound_

_With the hunger to swallow the world_

_But a day shall arise, when the dark dragons lies_

_Will be silenced, forever and then_

_Fair Skyrim will be free from foul Alduin's maul_

_Dragonborn be, the saviour of men_

_Dragonborn, Dragonborn, by his honour is sworn_

_To keep evil forever at bay_

_And the fiercest foes rout, when they hear triumph shout_

_Dragonborn, for your, blessing we praise_

_Yes I tell you, I tell you, The Dragonborn comes_

Imogen placed the Lute down on the floor and stared out over the inky blackness of the ocean. Hiccup pushed away from the mast and walked towards her.

"That was beautiful" Hiccup remarked. Imogen jumped as she heard his voice.

"I didn't realise anyone was listening, I don't think I'm very good" she murmured.

"What are you talking about? You're really good" Hiccup praised, pulling a barrel across the deck and sat down opposite her.

"Thank you" replied Imogen, her cheeks again starting to turn a bright red.

"Who was the person you were singing about? This…Dragonbone fella?" Hiccup asked. Imogen giggled at Hiccups mispronunciation.

"It's about the one they call the 'Dragonborn', a mortal born with the soul and power of a dragon. Only a few have ever existed."

"Wait, wait, are you telling me that people have existed with the powers of dragons?" Hiccup asked in surprise.

"Yes. The Dragonborn can kill a dragon and absorb its soul, gaining all its power, wisdom and experiences."

"Hmmm" Hiccup pondered

"What wrong?" asked Imogen

"I was just thinking about how things used to be back on Berk. We used to kill dragons, but when I discovered they can be trained, I convinced the rest of the village that they weren't dangerous. It took a lot of work"

"That's must have been quiet the challenge" Imogen said in admiration "Sadly, things are not so good in Skyrim. Dragons are hated creatures, and only a Dragonborn can defeat them. But alas, a Dragonborn hasn't been seen in over 1000 years, maybe more if the legends are true. Imagine, someone who can absorb a dragons soul, they would be the most powerful being in the world" Imogen replied.

"Or the most dangerous" Hiccup muttered.

"What do you mean?" Imogen asked, a small tone of concern in her voice.

"Well I've worked with dragons for a long time, and I know first-hand the destruction they can cause, even if by accident. If a person had that ability inside them, they could be used as the greatest weapon the world has ever seen"

"The Dragonborn is destined to save the world, not destroy it. I have faith that another Dragonborn is out there somewhere" Imogen interjected, feeling a little insulted that Hiccup would question the integrity of the old tales.

"You're right, I'm sorry, it's been a weird couple of days for me" Hiccup said, holding up his hands in apology.

"It's okay, I guess it has been a rough time for you lately" Imogen smiled. Hiccup chuckled and nodded. Imogen reached down and picked up her lute before standing from her chair. "Well I'm going to try and get some sleep; we'll be arriving in Skyrim in a few hours"

"Okay, goodnight" Hiccup rose from his chair to bid her good night. Imogen smiled before she walked past him towards the hatch to the sleeping quarters. But before she got there, she stopped, quickly turned around and placed a delicate kiss on Hiccups cheek. The Hooligan chiefs eyes widened in surprise as he watched the young girl scamper away below deck. Hiccup ran his fingers across his cheek, a little in shock at what had just happened. He could only imagine what Astrid's reaction would have been if she'd seen that.

* * *

The sun began to rise over the docks as Dagur stood before his ship, which had now been completely repaired. As much as he would never admit it, he was impressed with his harbour master for getting the job done so quickly. He could barely see where the damage had been. New sails were attached to the mast, most of the rigging had been replaced, new dragon traps and cannons had been installed and a new figure head of a Skrill had been attached to the front of the ship. Dagur grinned as he walked up the gangway and stepped onto the deck.

A new crew had been assembled rapidly that morning, and whilst a few of them where not seasoned sailors, the majority where members of the crews from the initial raid. Dagur was quietly confident that his plan would go off without a hitch this time.

"Set the sails!" Dagur bellowed, as 4 burley Berserker sailors yanked on the ropes to unfurl the new purple sails. A strong wind blew from the north, so it was no time at all before the ship pulled out of the harbour and set its course south. Dagur stood on the bridge of the ship, his helmsmen making small course corrections as they huge vessel cut through the waves with ease. Dagur himself was kitted out in new armour and battle gear; a new Dragon Tooth spike helmet had been made for him by the islands blacksmith, who also crafted new shoulder spikes, a shield and a new sword.

"How long until we reach land?!" Dagur shouted to the helmsman

"Should be no longer than a day and a half my lord. We can arrive under dark and slip past undetected"

"MAIN, GALLANTS, ROYALS, STUNS'L!" Dagur roared. The crew leapt into action, yanking on even more pulleys and levers to unfurl the full scope of sails that had been fitted to the ship. The vast expanse of purple plumed into the air, quickly catching the wind as the ship accelerated to nearly full speed.

"My plan isn't to just get there you idiot, it's to find Hiccup, and end him before he makes it anywhere near that place, and these new sails make my ship the fastest in the archipelago. That pip-squeak has nowhere to hide from me" Dagur sneered before turning to another member of the crew "You! Make sure those dragon traps are working properly. I don't want any mistakes this time!"

The other crew member bowed before quickly getting to work testing the new traps. Dagur stood for a moment, observing his crew work to get the ship up to full speed. The wind rushed through the gaps in his helmet, making a rather unpleasant whistle in his ears, so Dagur choose that time to retire to his cabin, his mind racing with the thought of catching Hiccup. All he had to decide now, was how he would kill him.

* * *

The Sun was just starting to break over the horizon when the call came through from the crow's nest.

"LAND HO!"

Hiccup jolted under the fur covers of his bed. The crew had already leapt from theirs and where rapidly preparing for their impending arrival. Hiccup rubbed his eyes and let out a vast, extended yawn. He had finally managed to fall asleep, but had only managed a few hours of rest. Slowly pulling himself out of bed, he quickly grabbed a long overcoat that one of the crew had given him the night before to keep warm. Slinging it around his shoulders, Hiccup climbed the steps onto the deck.

The pounding of feet across the wooden boards shattered the silence of what should have been a peaceful morning. A low fog hung above the waves, meaning Hiccup could barely see 30 feet in front of him. Walking to the front of the ship, Hiccup spotted Thorin staring through his spyglass.

"What can you see? All I see is this damn fog" Hiccup asked, peering into the mist

"The fog itself tells us all we need to know, it hugs the mainland like a blanket. Here, take a look"

Thorin tossed the spyglass to Hiccup, who caught and placed it against his right eye. Squinting into the lens, Hiccup could see nothing at first, but as the boat rocked through the surf, the faintest outline came into view.

"Is that….?

Thorin smiled, placing his hand on his brothers' shoulder.

"Yes Hiccup. Welcome to the city of Solitude; and welcome to Skyrim"

Hiccup watched as the landscape of the city became clearer and clearer in the distance. Tall buildings scattered the cliff tops, row after row of them. The cliff face was dark and wet, and a huge stone archway loomed above the ship as they passed through. The docks where a throng of people, with excited shouts coming from the traders as they bargained with their customers, a group of local men were playing dice on top of a barrel, the sound of jangling of coins as they placed their bets. A small slew of fishing boats were rapidly being unloaded of their cargo.

Hiccup looked around as the ship pulled into the dock, a gentle clunk as the hull of the ship met the pier. Securing lines were tossed from the ship onto the docks, which were quickly tied down. Slinging his bag over his shoulder, Hiccup stepped onto the wooden gang plank and followed Thorin onto the docks, close on their heels were 4 Companion soldiers who had made the return journey to Skyrim, as well as Imogen and a few other crew members.

The group walked quickly away from the ship and headed up a large set of stone steps towards the centre of the city. Hiccups eyes darted around him, taking in all the sights and sounds of the strange city. He was sure that most of the locals were staring at him, mumbling under their breath at this oddly dressed man. But paying them no heed, they walked on until they came to the front of an intricate looking building.

"What is this place?" Hiccup asked

"It is the Blue Palace, home of Jarl Elisif" called one of the soldiers at the back of the group. Hiccup stared up at the building, a giant tower to his left cast a long shadow across the courtyard. Trees and grass were scattered all around them, a few guards patrolled the surrounding walls. The roofs of the building had been covered with blue clad bricks, and looking past the palace, Hiccup was beginning to see the vastness of Skyrim, the mountains rising off in the distance, the forest spread across the low lands. It was a truly remarkable place.

Thorin approached two guards that were standing watch outside the doors. He spoke quietly to them, so quietly that he was almost whispering. Hiccup strained his ears to try and hear what was being said, but it was no use. After 20 seconds or so, the guards stood aside, swinging open the doors to the Palace. Thorin ushered the group inside. Steeping through the doors, Hiccup found himself in a grand entrance hall, decorated with elegant furniture and rich blood red velvet curtains. A huge chandelier hung from the ceiling, and the people inside where all dressed in some of the finest material he had ever seen. The group stopped before a winding staircase.

"Hiccup and I go alone from here. Head back to the ship and help finish unloading the supplies, then make camp outside the city walls. We will meet you there"

After a few quick nodded bows, the soldiers and crew quickly exited the building. Hiccup watch as they left, until his gaze caught Imogen's, who gave him a small smile as she exited.

The brothers ascended the staircase until they stood before a women sitting in vary elaborate throne. Her light brown hair pulled back with a golden hair band, a red ruby shining from its centre. A golden medallion hung around her neck, and her green and brown dress flowed to the ground. Her skin was flawless, and piercing brown eyes gazed upon the two men as they approached.

"Greeting, Jarl Elisif" Thorin sank to one knee, giving his familiar arm on his chest welcome gesture. Hiccup wasn't sure what to do, so he followed his brothers' example.

"Rise Thorin of Ivarstead, such formalities are not necessary for a friend of the city" Elisif waved her hand for the two to rise, a small flicker of a smile flickering across her lips.

"Thank you my Jarl" replied Thorin as he got to his feet. Hiccup rose to his as well. Elisif turned her gaze to the young Viking.

"And who is this?" she asked, with a softness in her voice Hiccup had heard from only one other person. His mind was cast back again to Astrid, her beautiful face rushing through his thoughts. Gods, he missed her like crazy.

"This is my brother, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, Chief of the Hairy Hooligan Tribe, son of Stoick the Vast and Valka"

Elisif eyed up Hiccup, examining his features and clothing. Hiccup just stood there, the nervous feeling growing inside him. He had met many foreign leaders before, but he had always had Astrid, his friends and Toothless by his side, and even though he had Thorin with him, he could get the knots out of his stomach. Finally, Elisif smiled at him.

"Well, any brother of Thorin is a friend of mine. Welcome Master Haddock, you are most welcome here"

"Uh…thank you Jarl Elisif" Hiccup replied, breathing more easily now.

"So tell me…." Elisif tuned her attention back to Thorin "…what brings you to the city? I heard you had been away"

"I was my Jarl, but I have returned on a urgent matter. We require passage back to Ivarstead"

"Of course. Jordis"

Elisif summoned a woman to her left to come forward. She was dressed in similar robes to the Companion soldiers whom they had travelled with, a sword holstered in her belt and a shield slung across her back.

"Please see to it that horses and supplies are prepared at once"

"Yes my Jarl" Jordis nodded and headed down the stairs from the throne room

"You may leave whenever you are ready, but I would beg your indulgence for the two of you to join us for the feast this evening. I'm sure the people of the city would well receive some more stories of the great warrior Thorin"

"We would be delighted Jarl Elisif" Hiccup piped up. It had been almost three days since he had eaten some proper food. Thorin noted his brothers' excitement.

"Thank you for the kind offer my Jarl, but I fear we cannot linger too long. We must leave first thing at sunrise, I hope you understand?" Thorin said apologetically

"I do. Now please follow my maids, they will show you to your quarters"

* * *

**Hey guys, sorry for the chapter delay, getting back of holiday and catching up with work does take a while. The additional lyrics for 'The Dragonborn Comes' have to be credited to Destiny Cross, if you haven't heard her version of the song, get to ********and listen, it is a brilliant version of the song, or check her out on YouTube.**


	14. Chapter 14 - Helgen

Astrid knew that she would miss Hiccup when he was gone, but she had no idea that she would miss him this much. Every little thing it seemed, reminded her of him. Earlier that day, Tuffnut and one of the academy students had somehow managed to get their heads stuck in the bars of the main arena. Whilst Hiccup had never done this to himself, at least she hoped he hadn't, their clumsiness only provided her with more memories of his own. She and Toothless had spent the evening sitting by the fire, both trying to take their minds off how much they missed Hiccup.

Fishlegs lifted his eyes from dragon manual and parchments scattered across his desk. A few months earlier, Hiccup had finished building a new hut within the academy itself, giving each of the trainer now had their own workspace. In comparison to the twins and Snotlout, Hiccup, Astrid and Fishlegs liked to keep their desk space tidy, but today, Astrid's desk was covered in scraps of parchment and a few books. Fishlegs couldn't help but notice her strange behaviour.

"Hey Astrid, are you alright?"

Astrid jumped slightly as the voice interrupted her short daydream, the coal pencil she had been twirling between her fingers clattered to the floor.

"Huh, oh yeah, I'm okay"

Fishlegs leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms.

"Come on, obviously something's wrong, you can tell me. What's on your mind?"

Astrid bent down a scooped the pencil off the floor, placing in back onto her desk space.

"I just miss Hiccup, that's all. It's only been 3 days, gods, how am I going to cope if he's gone for over a week, two weeks; a month even?"

"Don't worry about Hiccup, as long as he is with Thorin, nothing bad will happen to him. I mean come on; the guy stopped the whole Berserker fleet on his own. Trust me; Hiccup will be completely safe with him"

Astrid placed her fingers on a sketch of Hiccup she had doodled earlier that morning. Hiccup had always been the more artistic of all the dragon trainers, in fact almost all of the drawing in the dragon manual had been his, but Astrid was slowly starting to develop her own artistic skills, and she was becoming pretty good at it. Fishlegs glanced at the drawing, and was impressed at the likeness the drawing had.

"I know, but still, it is strange waking up and knowing that he is not here"

Fishlegs pondered for a moment, trying desperately to think of a way cheer his friend up. Then, like a torch going off in his head, he had an idea.

"When was the last time you and Stormfly went on a nice long flight, just the two of you. Might give you a chance to clear your head a bit" Astrid looked up from the drawing. If there was one thing she loved just as much as Hiccup, it was flying.

"That's a great idea Fish, but I can't right now, I've got all these training schedules to sort out, then I have the council meeting, then closing the academy then….."

Fishlegs held his hand up, a signal for Astrid to stop talking. In all honesty, she was a bit taken aback by the interruption, but the smile on Fishlegs face never diminished.

"I'll take care of all that, you go and enjoy yourself today, you need a break"

"But what about…" Astrid began to protest

"Listen Astrid, normally I wouldn't be so forceful, but you're exhausted. You've been running ragged for 3 days straight since Hiccup left. You need to unwind. Go, enjoy yourself for the day"

"Thank you Fishlegs" Astrid said, a smile returning to her face for the first time in days. She walked over to his desk and placed a quick kiss on his cheek, causing Fishlegs to blush a bright crimson. Astrid chuckled to herself as she left the hut and walked through the academy. The early afternoon sun was just starting to banish the cold of the morning, replacing it with a gently warmth. Astrid walked across the arena towards the steps leading up to the trainers' launch pad, but before she ascended the stairs, she stopped. Turning her head to the right, she spotted the familiar carvings on the outer wall of the arena. It had been there for such a long time, but somehow the harsh winters and soaking climate of Berk had not eroded it away, running her fingers across the scratches in the rock, a single tear escaping her eyes…

_HHH + AH_

Hiccup had carved that into the wall after their first official date. She remembered that day, he had been so proud of his handy work, it had taken nearly half a day for him to stop smiling, even after his usual clumsiness struck and he cut his palm on the blade he had been using. Astrid stood for a few moments just staring at the carving, remembering all the reasons that she loved Hiccup.

Snapping out of her reverie, Astrid scaled the steps to the landing platform. A patter of footsteps followed her up, and she turned to see the familiar night fury ascending the steps.

"Hey Toothless, what do you say, you want to come flying with us?"

Toothless cooed happily in reply. One of the things Hiccup had before he left was to fit Toothless with his artificial tail, allowing the dragon to fly freely without him. The craftsmanship on the mechanism was more advanced than anything he had ever produced before.

Putting her fingers between her lips, she emanated a loud whistle.

PPPPPPIIIIIIIHHHHHHHH!

Examining the skies, she soon saw the familiar shape of her Deadly Nadder hove into view. Stormfly soared towards the platform, touching down with a gentle thud, crowing in anticipation. Astrid approached her dragon, giving her a gentle scratch under the chin.

"Come on guys; let's get up to where we need to be"

The Nadder hopped around in excitement before lowering her back to permit Astrid to climb on board. Grabbing the handle of her saddle, Astrid swung her leg over the leather and shifted herself into position. Looking to Toothless, who was crouching ready for take off, Astrid kicked her heels slightly, and the dragons launched into the air.

* * *

A night of merry making and idle chatter is not something you want to indulge too much before you set out on a long journey. Hiccup had found that out the hard way. His head was thick, his mouth clammy and his eyelids felt incredibly heavy as the small convoy rode out of the main gates of Solitude. Almost the entire city had turned up for the feast the night before; most of them being more concerned with listening to Thorin tell some more of his adventures. Hiccup was beginning to think that his brother was some kind of hero to these people. A few of the locals had however, sat speaking with Hiccup, finding out all about his life, his home and his job, and drinking copious amounts of mead. Hiccup told them everything, well almost everything, leaving out the part about taming dragons. If they were as feared and hated in Skyrim that Thorin had warned him, perhaps brining that up wouldn't have been a wise thing to do.

They had buried Mecius earlier that day in a small private ceremony. Hiccup had discovered that Mecius had no surviving relatives after his wife had passed away, and he had spent most of his life travelling across the world, discovering and interpreting ancient artefacts. Thorin had delivered the eulogy, and a small crowd of people who had known him laid white flowers on his grave, including Jarl Elisif. Hiccup saw how close Elisif stood to Thorin, and could only wonder whether there was some sort of relationship between them.

Elisif had spared no expense when providing their equipment and supplies. Two horses from the royal stables had been provided for Hiccup and Thorin to ride, and another two to pull a supplies wagon driven by two Companion soldiers. Hiccup felt a little unsteady on his saddle, as he had never ridden a horse. He had to chuckle to himself at the thought of man who rides dragons on a daily basis not being able to ride a horse. He had gotten more used to it in the hours that had passed since they set off.

"How you doing over there?!" Thorin called out to him

"Getting there, just still getting used to riding at ground level" Hiccup replied, adjusting himself in his saddle

"Don't worry; you will get the hang of it" Thorin laughed back. Hiccup smiled in reply, and for the first time since he had left Berk, he was beginning to feel a little more at ease. They hadn't encountered any problems so far, so maybe the whole experience wouldn't be as difficult as he first thought.

"So what's the deal with you and Elisif?" Hiccup asked.

"When I first arrived in Skyrim, I was only a young boy. Elisif and her husband, High King Torygg, where the first people I met here, so I have known her for over 20 years"

"But what 'else' is going on? I saw the way she was looking at you yesterday, and the way you looked at her. You like her don't you?" Hiccup probed in a sarcastic voice. Thorin smiled and shook his head at Hiccups innate curiosity.

"She is Jarl of Skyrim Hiccup; I am just a common man. Even if I wanted romance, it could not be with Elisif. It would never be accepted by the people"

"Well that hardly seems fair" Hiccup replied, adjusting himself in his saddle once more. The group turned a corner in the road, and where suddenly confronted by a group of guards in red robes standing at a road block. One of the men held up his hand as a sign for them to stop as he walked up alongside Thorin.

"This road is closed for all but official business. State your intentions please?" the guard demanded.

"My name is Thorin of Ivarstead, we are delivering this carriage of supplies from Solitude" Thorin replied. The guard looked back at the carriage, giving it a quick once over.

"Papers please?" the guard asked. Thorin reached inside his robe and produced a neatly bundled collection of documents, sealed with a wax stamp bearing the symbol of Jarl Elisif, handing them to the guard. The group waited whilst the guard finished reading, handing the documents back to Thorin and turning to his colleagues.

"Raise the gate" he called. The two other guards pulled a series of levers, causing the giant wooden barrier to rise out of the way of the road. Kicking their heels and cracking the reigns, the group passed through the guards, who lowered the barrier behind them.

"What was all that about?" asked Hiccup, looking back over his shoulder at the guards.

"These roads are under guard these days, ever since the war broke out" replied the Companion driving the carriage.

"War? What War?" Hiccup burst out

"It is nothing you need to worry about Hiccup" Thorin replied

"Come on Thorin, you can't keep me in the dark forever. When I was at the healers on Berk, you told me I would get answers. Well I want some answers now. What is going on here?" Hiccup demanded. Thorin let out a short sigh

"Okay Hiccup, I will tell you. The land is engaged in a civil war between two factions. The Stormcloaks, led by Jarl Ulfric Stormcloak, are made up of Skyrim's native Nords. Their goal is an independent Skyrim, free from Imperial interference. The Imperial Legion however, the military of the Empire, opposes the Stormcloaks and seeks to reunite and pacify the province. General Tullius leads the Imperial forces in Skyrim."

"Imperials, Stormcloaks, the Empire, Civil War? What kind of place have you brought me to?" Hiccup asked in annoyance.

"You need not concern yourself with the trivial and political matters of two quarrelling armies. We are here for more important work" Thorin replied calmly, despite Hiccups blunt tone.

The hours passed by, before they passed a sign in the road labelled 'Darkwater Crossing'. The trees became denser as the group travelled further up the road. The light of day was gradually giving way to the dimming glow of Dusk. Hiccup thought it would be wise for them to set up camp and continue again in the morning, but before he could voice his opinion, he heard the cry of panicked voices from behind him. Turning to face the noise, Hiccup saw a group of three men running at break neck speed in their direction, their weapons drawn.

"THORIN!" Hiccup shouted. Thorin quickly turned in his saddle and saw the men approaching, as did the Companions on the carriage. Thorin leapt from his saddle, stood dead in the centre of the road and drew out his sword, which Hiccup briefly noticed as he dismounted and drew his own weapon, looked like it was made of a similar material to his bow and arrows he had used on Berk. The three men continued to charge towards them.

"OUT OF THE WAY, MOVE NOW!" one of them bellowed as they drew closer. Thorin and Hiccup stood their ground, preparing to fight. But the three men did not stop, they simply ran straight past the group and continued running up the road. Thorin, Hiccup and the Companions watched in confusion as the three men disappeared, before more shouts drew their attention.

"THERE ARE MORE OVER THERE, THIS WAY!"

"TAKE THEM DOWN!"

More men where now barrelling towards them, much more, all of them dressed in the same robes as the guards at the road block. The sudden commotion startled the two horses Thorin and Hiccup had been riding, who bolted for the trees before Hiccup had a chance to grab their reigns. Thankfully, his satchel had fallen to the ground. Hiccup looked to Thorin, who was still standing his ground.

"What do we do now?" Hiccup asked in a slight panic.

"We will hold them off. You need to get out of here Hiccup, now. Stay on this road; you will reach the village of Whiterun. Wait for us there" replied Thorin, who turned and caught his bow and arrows thrown to him by the Companion soldiers.

"But….." Hiccup began to protest.

"GO HICCUP, RUN!" Thorin yelled, before charging towards the oncoming rabble of guards. Hiccup watched as his brother and the companions charged at the men, before quickly sheathing his sword, grabbing his satchel and took off up the road, running as fast as his legs would carry him. His prosthetic did mean that he couldn't run as fast as he would have liked, but he did as Thorin asked and kept on running.

The sounds of steel clashing together in the distance behind him did nothing to ease his panic, but he kept running. His lungs began to burn as he ran out of breath, but as he turned the corner, he saw the three men who had charged past him only moments before now kneeling in the road, swords and spears pointing at them in every direction from even more red coated guards. Hiccup watched as the three kneeling men where taunted and heckled by the guards.

"YOU'LL NEVER LEAVE THIS PLACE ALIVE TRAITOR!"

"WHERE IS YOUR PRECIOUS PHILOSOPHY NOW STORMCLOAKS!"

"DIE MAGGOTS!"

"FOR THE GLORY OF THE EMPIRE!"

One of the men pushed his way to the front of the crowd of guards. Based on the differences in his armour, Hiccup guessed that he was their captain. He stood before one of the kneeling men, leering down at him with a look of pure smugness and arrogance.

"Ulfric Stormcloak. Some people call you a hero. But a hero doesn't use a power like the Voice to murder his king and usurp his throne. You started this war, plunged Skyrim into chaos, and now the Empire is going to put you down, and restore the peace. Take them away"

Hiccup watched as the kneeling men were hoisted to their feet and led away. This was not a good place to be, but before he could run, a blow to the back of his head, which felt like he had been clobbered by one of Gobbers hammers, knocked him to the ground. His vision became blurry, before everything turned dark.

* * *

The sun was almost set as Dagur peered through his spyglass. The fog was making it very difficult to see anything, but soon, the skyline came into his view. Clasping the glass shut, Dagur turned to the helmsman.

"Prepare yourselves men. As soon as the sun sets, we will make land and find out where that little runt is!" Dagur blared

"An hour at most Sir, we should be able to land under the cover of darkness as you requested" the Helmsman replied.

"Excellent, tell the men to prepare for our arrival. As soon as we make land, we will find out where that little runt is!" Dagur blared.

The helmsman began barking our orders to the crew of the ship, who scurried around the deck gathering up their weapons and armour. Dagur steadied himself against the railings of the bridge as the vessel rocked over the crest of a larger wave. Normally, he would have charged in with his sword drawn, but after what happened to his fleet on Berk, he didn't want to take any chances. Night would give them some cover.

Just over an hour later, the night sky covered the ship in darkness. Dagur had ordered all the lanterns on the deck to be extinguished, and with the new dark purple sails, they were almost invisible in the low light. The crew gathered at the edges of the ship, their weapons at the ready. The ship clunked against the dock. Immediately, the Berserker soldiers leapt from the deck down onto the wooden planks below. Dagur hopped across the railings and thudded on the pier, crouching down in the middle of the group as they stealthily made their way up towards the city. As they approached, Dagur spotted a group guards stood outside the now locked gates, unaware of the group of marauding men lurking in the shadows.

WHHHIIISSHHH! THUD! THUD! THUD!

The guards crumpled to the floor without even so much of a whimper, blood splattering the floor. Dagur emerged from the shadows, tucking his remaining throwing knives back into his belt. The Berserker soldiers quickly approached the gate, dragging the now dead bodies of the guards and hiding them in some nearby shrubs. Dagur pushed open the gate, stepping onto the cobble stones of the city street. Many of the buildings still had light beaming through the windows, but nobody was walking the streets. Dagur was actually quite pleased by this, whilst he enjoyed a fight, he also wanted to get the information he needed with as little fuss as possible.

Hugging to the side streets and alleyways, trying to stay silent, the Berserkers made their way silently through the city. A few more guards were scattered around on duty, but the group slipped silently by. Dagur stopped at the exit of an alleyway, peering his head around the corner at the large building that stood before them. More guards patrolled the walls and the lower gates, and there wasn't any other way in as far as he could tell. Dagur signalled to two of his men in the opposite alley, who both nodded in understanding, retreating into the darkness. Dagur waited for a few minutes, before he heard the muffled cries of the guards. Peering back around the corner, Dagur saw his men lowering the guards to the ground, pulling their blades from the now limp bodies.

Emerging from the shadows, Dagur matched towards the front door of the building, his men following close behind. With a swift kick, the door crashed open. The shocked cries of all those inside echoed around the high ceilings. Two guards inside charged towards Dagur, their swords swinging about their heads. The first guard took an almighty swing towards Dagur, who dropped to one knee to avoid the strike, slamming his own blade across the guards' stomach. Slicing forwards, the guard spun away from the blade and slammed into the floor. The second guard lunged forward, but Dagur easily deflected his blow, stabbing the guard through the chest. Blood spattered everywhere, the cries quickly replaced by panicked screams as the second guard slid backwards off Dagur's blade, his back hitting the floor with a sickening thud.

Dagur wiped his blade on a table cloth, covering the pure white linen with a dark crimson stain, before holstering his weapon and walking further into the building. No other guards confronted him, and the other people in the building were cowering away from him. Dagur took great pleasure in casting fear into others; he seemed to revel in it. The group of Berserkers climbed the winding staircase in front of them, before they stood before a women sitting in a large throne like chair.

"What is this? GUARDS!" the women cried.

"Oh I'm terribly sorry, but your guards are otherwise...engaged at the moment" Dagur cackled, his men laughing behind him.

"Who are you? What do you want?" The women demanded.

"Of course, where are my manners? I am Dagur the Deranged, Chief of the might Berserker Tribe. And who might you be?" Dagur replied in a condescending tone.

"I am Elisif, Jarl of Solitude"

"Well...Jarl Elisif, you asked me what I wanted. All I want is information" Dagur sneered

"What information could I possibly have that would be of any concern of yours?"

"Oh it's just a simple request"

"Well...spit it out?!" Elisif barked

"Where is Hiccup Haddock?" Dagur hissed, his demeanour changing from sarcasm to utter seriousness

"I don't know anyone of that name" Elisif replied. Clearly this was man who intended to hurt Hiccup. She wouldn't give up his or Thorins' location lightly

"Oh I think you do..." Dagur replied "...I found a map that tells me that he sailed here. So do yourself a favour, and tell me where he is"

"I'd rather not say" Elisif said defiantly

"AND I'D RATHER NOT CUT OFF YOUR LIPS AND FEED THEM TO YOU!" Dagur roared. A few quiet whimpers came from a group of women who were hunkered down in the corner in terror. Elisif did not flinch at this outburst. She was more than used to men thinking they could intimidate her.

"Even if I did know, why on earth would I tell a scoundrel like you?" Elisif asked stubbornly

"Oh, I have a feeling you will" Dagur smirked, motioning one of his men forward, an absolute beast of a man, who marched directly towards the group of cowering women, grabbing one of them sharply by the hair and dragging her into the centre of the room. Piercing screams emitted around the hall as the large Berserker soldier placed a blade at the neck of the terrified captive. Elisif eyes widened.

"Now, shall we try this again? Tell me where Hiccup is, and no more blood will be split. Refuse...well I think we both know that you won't refuse"

For a few moments, Elisif said nothing, her gaze transfixed on the terrified girl in the clutches of this huge man. Sweat was beading on her forehead as the girls' terrified cries pierced her heart. The large Berserker pressed the blade harder against the girls' throat.

"Listen; there is no need for more violence. Let her go" Elisif said calmly, attempting not invoke the ire of this crazed man any further

"Tell me where Hiccup is, and I will...consider, sparing her life" Dagur replied

The captive girls' eyes locked with Elisif, a look of pure horror. Elisif treasured one thing above all, the safety of her people. Excepting that Dagur was serious; she resigned herself to the inevitable.

"He rode south, to Ivarstead" Elisif spoke quietly, her head dipped in defeat. Dagur grinned, nodding to his man to release the girl, who flopped to the floor and crawled as fast as she could towards Elisif, sobbing as she did so. Elisif bent down and wrapped her arms around the girl, glaring at Dagur.

"See that wasn't so hard now was it. Thank you for your help Jarl Elisif"

Dagur turned and headed back down the steps towards the front door. Elisif watched as the Berserkers exited the palace, allowing a single tear to escape and fall to the floor.

* * *

The wind raced through her hair as she soared higher and higher into the sky. Fishlegs had been right, it had been far too long since she was able to take a flight just for the fun of it. Stormfly cooed underneath her as they glided effortlessly through the sky. Looking over her shoulder, Astrid saw Toothless following close behind. She noticed that the dragon had a slightly dejected look about him. Clearly Toothless was missing Hiccup as much as she was.

The trio swept around the island at least three times, receiving waves and greetings from the villagers below. Berk truly was beautiful at this time of year, the golden fields of wheat and corn rustling gently in the wind. The mountain tops capped with a glisten of white snow, the sea a brilliant blue against the clear skies.

On her third trip around the island, Astrid pulled Stormfly to a stop, hovering in mid-air above the now fully repaired docks. Toothless pulled up and hovered next to them, all three of them looking out across the vast expanse of ocean that lay before them. What is they just flew out to sea, follow the path that Hiccup had taken, follow the southern currents, just to find him. It couldn't be that hard...could it?

"No" she said to herself "I promised Hiccup I would protect the village and our people whilst he was away, and that is exactly what I'm going to do"

Pulling lightly on the reigns, Astrid directed Stormfly to head for the Great Hall. Toothless swooped down after them. After less than a minute, the trio touched down outside the Hall. Astrid dismounted and gave her dragon a stroke under the chin. Toothless waddled over, his pupils as wide as any begging kitten. Astrid chuckled lightly and smiled, stroking the Night Fury as well.

"No off you go you two, and try and stay out of mischief"

The two dragons bounded away down the steps leading away from the Great Hall. Astrid turned and pushed open the giant wooden doors. She spotted the other council members already present at their seats around a large circular wooden table. Valka, Gobber, Elina and Fishlegs seated on one side, with Snotlout, Spitelout, Ruffnut, Tuffnut and Elder Gothi on the other. Astrid walked around the edge of the table to her seat next to Valka, but not without taking a lingering look at the empty chair at the head of the table. Hiccup's chair.

"Astrid, what are you doing here? I thought you were taking the rest of the day off?" Fishlegs asked

"I'm sorry legs, but there is just so much to do. I took a flight around the island like you said, gave me a chance to clear my head" Astrid replied

Fishlegs nodded in understanding as Astrid took her seat. Valka stood to address the other council members.

"Excellent, now that we are all here, we can begin. It has been a good harvest so far this year; we should have more than enough food to..."

"Excuse me, but before we go any further, can I ask a question?" Snotlout interrupted. Valka glared at Snotlout for a few moments, before nodding.

"Well can I just ask...have you all...COMPLETLYE LOST YOUR MINDS!"

All the council members jumped slightly at Snotlout's sudden outburst.

"What are you talking about?" asked Fishlegs

"Oh well let's see, first we get attacked by a rouge dragon, then a fleet of Berserker ships show up, then some complete stranger walks in and spins a web of lies about who he is, then to top it all off, you let our chief leave on some quest that has nothing to do with us, with no idea when he will be back. That is what I mean!"

"Oh for gods sake Snot, how many times do we have to go over this. Thorin was not lying about who he was!" Valka shot back

"And how can you be sure. Like you said, he hadn't been around for 20 years"

"You're paranoid Snotlout, all of us trust Thorin, why can't you?" Gobber asked, slumped in his chair, sipping mead from his cup arm attachment

"Well forgive me for not trusting people who just appear out of the blue who have some kind of magic powers, oh yes, how silly of me"

Astrid was beginning to grow angrier. They had covered this issue at least twice a day since Hiccup had left, and it was getting very tiresome very quickly.

"Enough Snotlout, this isn't up for discussion anymore"

"And what happens if those Berserkers come back, or that dragon? Then what, do we have some kind of plan to deal with that?!" Snotlout snapped

"Calm down son..." Spitelout placed his hand on his sons shoulder "...but I do agree with him Valka. We need a plan to deal with any more threats against the island"

"Of course we do, and if I wasn't interrupted, that is on my agenda for this meeting" Valka replied, somewhat relieved that Spitelout was trying to help her by calming his son down

"Perhaps we should cover that part first?" Gobber piped in

"Okay, so, has anyone got any ideas?" Astrid asked the group

"We have an idea" Ruffnut and Tuffnut said in unison

"Oh gods" Fishlegs hung his heads in his hands, dreading the prospect of another plan by the twins

"Guys, does your plan involve explosives in any way?"" Valka asked, retaking her seat

"Maybe" replied Ruffnut

"How about massively unbuildable weapons?" Gobber added

"Maybe" replied Tuffnut

"And is it in and way physically possible?" Astrid asked

"How should we know, we're not magicians" Ruffnut replied. The rest of the group let out a collective sigh.

"Right, any other ideas?" Elina asked. No one said anything for a while, each of them racking their brains trying to come up with a solution. After about 5 minutes, Spitelout finally spoke.

"I suggest we black a blockade to the south east of the Island. The Berserker fleet will sail from the direction, so if they cannot get to us straight away, we will have more time to set out a defence"

"Good idea Spitelout, can you see that this is done?" Astrid asked

"Yes" Spitelout replied "There are still a number of ships in the harbour that are beyond repair after the dragon attack. We were planning on using them as salvage material, but we can set up a blockade within the next few days"

"I suggest we get to work on that straight away" Fishlegs spoke up

"Okay, Spitelout, Fishlegs and Snotlout, you begin working on the blockade" Valka ordered. Spitelout and Fishlegs both nodded as they stood to leave, but Snotlout remained routed to his seat.

"Did you not here her, het to work Snotlout" Gobber asked sternly. Snotlout glared around the room at each of the council members, before shoving his chair backwards and stomped towards the door, muttering to himself as he did so. The three exited the Hall and headed towards the harbour. Gobber exhaled loudly as he sat back in his seat.

"I'm worried about Snotlout. This whole distrust thing with Thorin could turn bad in a hurry"

"You may be right Gobber, but in the meantime, we have more preparations to make" Astrid retorted

"Indeed" Valka added "Now, Astrid, how can we use your dragon riders?"

* * *

As his vision slowly began to return, Hiccup felt like his head was about to explode. A large welt had developed on the back of his skull from where he had been struck. It was a feeling he could have only described as being whacked on the head by one of Gobbers forge hammers. The hard wooden seat underneath him bounced his whole body around, making his head ache ever worse. Hiccup tried to lift his hands to his eyes, but the strong binds on his wrists prevented him from doing so. Trying to gain a sense of what was going on, Hiccup squinted at his surroundings.

"Ugh, my head, where am I?"

"Hey you, you're finally awake"

Hiccup strained his still blurred vision towards the sound of the voice. As his focus became clearer, he saw a man sitting across from him, wearing a dark blue robe, a brown leather sash and belt held an empty sword holster. Hiccup recognised him as one of the men who had been captured earlier that day. Another man sat to his left, his mouth gagged, wearing a more elaborate version of the blue robes. Hiccup then noticed that they were sitting in the back of their own supply wagon, being pulled by the two horses who had not bolted, with a driver and a heavily armed guard sitting in the front.

"What's going on? Where are our supplies? And who are you?" Hiccup asked. Every word was a difficult for him to get out, the pain in his head radiating like a raging fire. Hiccup looked all around the carriage, but he could not see Thorin anywhere.

"My name is Ralof. You were trying to cross the border, right? Walked right into that Imperial ambush, same as us, and that thief over there"

Another man sat next to Ralof. Hiccup noticed that he was not wearing the same blue robes as the other two men, but a dirty light brown shirt and dark brown britches. He stared at the blue robed man, a look of utter distain etched across his face.

"Damn you Stormcloaks, Skyrim was fine until you came along, empire was nice and lazy. If they hadn't have been looking for you, I could have stolen that horse and be halfway to Hammerfell"

The thief then turned his attention towards Hiccup.

"You there, you and me, we shouldn't be here. It's these Stormcloaks the empire wants" The thief gave Ralof a menacing glare, making Hiccup feel even more on edge.

"We are all brothers and sisters in binds now thief" replied Ralof.

"Shut up back there!" The shout came from the front of the carriage. Hiccup winced as the shouting pierced through his skull, would the throbbing pain in his head ever go away? The carriage continued to rumble down the road. Looking behind them, Hiccup saw two more carriages, carrying more and more people. Each of them had their hands bound, and Hiccup was dismayed to see not only men, but a few women as well. He could hear the quiet sobs of a few of them over the sound of dirt crunching beneath the carriage wheels. Hiccup continued to scan his surroundings, hoping to catch sight of Thorin somewhere, but it quickly became clear that his brother was not there.

"What's wrong with him?"

Hiccup returned his attention back to the group of men he was sharing the carriage with. The horse thief was staring at the man sitting next to Hiccup. His mouth was gagged, and extra rope had been used to make sure he couldn't escape the carriage.

"Watch your tongue!" barked Ralof "You're speaking to Ulfric Stormcloak, the true High King!"

The thieves eyes widened, almost in awe as he realised who he was speaking to. Hiccup was becoming more and more confused as the conversation developed, so turned his attention back to looking for Thorin. He stared into the trees, hoping to catch a glimpse of his brother, but all he could see was the darkness of the forest.

"Ulfric, the Jarl of Windhelm? You're the leader of the rebellion. But if they've captured you….oh gods, where are they taking us?" The thief's voice was suddenly full of fear. Ralof on the other hand, stayed calm and composed.

"I don't know where we're going, but Sovngarde awaits"

Hiccup immediately whipped his head around to face Ralof, despite doing so making his head throb even worse. Had he just heard him right? Sovngarde. Hiccup racked his brain, trying to think of where he had heard that mentioned before. Had Thorin spoken about it? No, he defiantly would have remembered that conversation. Where had he heard it before? Where had….

Oh no

Hiccup's heart rate quickened as he recalled the last words Mecius had spoken, that he would see them all in Sovngarde. This was not good. Clearly, the thief was becoming more and more frantic as well

"This can't be happening, this isn't happening"

Hiccup was beginning to forget about the pain in his head, he had far more important issues on his mind now. He had to escape from these people, he had to find Thorin, and he was running out of time. The carriage continued to trundle along the dirt path, the cries of the prisoners in the other carriages becoming louder.

"Where are you Thorin?" Hiccup whispered to himself.

The cart soon approached a set of wooden gates, which swung open with a loud creak as the carriage passed through them.

"General Tulius sir, the headsman is waiting" a voice shouted.

"Good, let's get this over with" replied the man riding on horseback at the head of the convoy. Hiccup hadn't had an opportunity to get a good look at the man when he had first seen him. He wore a long red tunic, similar to that of the other guards, but much more ornate. Golden armour shined in the bleak sunlight that protruded through the fog. His short grey hair was slicked back, and a crimson cape hung from his back.

"Look at him, General Tulius, the military governor…" growled Ralof "…and it looks like the Thalmor are with him, damn elves, I bet they had something to do with this"

Hiccup could see a group of strange looking people standing alongside the General. He had never seen anything like them before, their skin was dark and grey, their ears pointed at the tips and their eyes seemed devoid of any colour at all. The armour and weaponry they carried seemed much more intricate than any of the soldiers scattered around.

"So where are we?" Hiccup asked, turning to Ralof.

"This is Helgen. I used to be sweet on a girl from here, I wonder if Vilod is still making that mead with juniper berries. When I was a boy, Imperial towers used to make me feel so safe, but now…."

A handful of civilians had begun to step out of their houses to watch at the carriages passed them by. One little boy in particular seemed very keen to watch the soldiers, before he was ushered back into his house by his father. Hiccup looked from one group of onlookers to another, before he spotted a figure slowing manoeuvring through the crowd. Hiccup peered for a closer look, but the strangers head was covered with a hood. Hiccup kept watching as the hooded figure grew closer and raised his head, placing his finger on his lips as a signal for Hiccup to keep quiet.

_"__Thorin, he's here" _Hiccup let out a quiet sigh of relief.

The carriages rounded one final corner into what looked like a town square, before shuddering to a halt.

"Why….why are we stopping?" the horse thief asked nervously

"Why do you think…?" Replied Ralof "…end of the line"


	15. Chapter 15 - Road to Riverwood

"Let's go. We shouldn't keep the gods waiting for us" Ralof said as he and the other prisoners all rose to their feet.

"No, we're not rebels!" the horse thief cried out in desperation.

"Face your death with some courage thief" Ralof replied, jumping down from the carriage.

"You've got to tell them we weren't with you, this is a mistake!"

Hiccup slowly got to his feet and hopped out of the back of the carriage. Looking around, he saw that there where at least 10 or 15 prisoners, surrounded by what he could now only assume to be Imperial guards and their Captain. Several of the locals had gathered on their porches to watch what was going on, ushering their children inside. His eyes darted around the town square, until they came to rest on something that made his heart freeze.

A headsman's block.

A huge man, draped in a black cloak with a mask covering his face, stood next to the blood stained block of wood, his axe draped over his shoulder, dried blood staining the blade. In a blind panic, Hiccup looked to where Thorin had been standing, but he had gone. His breathing became sharp and fast, like he was having a mini panic attack.

"Approach the block when we call your names, one at a time!" ordered the Captain

"Empire loves their damn lists" Ralof hissed under his breath. Another Imperial soldier stepped forward, clutching a book and quill in his hands. Opening the book, he began citing of the names of the captives.

"Ulfric Stormcloak, Jarl of Windhelm"

Ulfric stepped forward, the gag still covering his mouth. All the blue clad prisoners bowed their heads in respect as he walked by.

"It has been an honour, Jarl Ulfric" Ralof said as he walked past.

"Ralof of Riverwood" the guard continued down the list. Ralof walked forward and followed Ulfric towards the block. Hiccup had never been more terrified in his life,

"Lokir of Rorikstead"

"NO, I'M NOT A REBEL, YOU CAN'T DO THIS!" cried the horse thief.

"HALT!" the captain shouted after him, but Lokir was already running as fast as he could away from the other prisoners.

"YOU'RE NOT GOING TO KILL ME!" he bellowed as he ran towards the gate.

"ARCHERS!" the captain yelled out. Another guard rapidly drew his bow and cocked an arrow onto the string. Pulling back and taking aim, the guard fired the arrow straight towards Lokir. The arrow whipped through the air, thudding directly into the back of the fleeing thief. Lokir screamed in pain as he toppled forward from the impact of the arrow, slamming into the ground, blood flowing from the wound on his back. Hiccup watched in horror as the thief became still, a small trickle of blood flowing away from the body.

"Anyone else feel like running?" the Captain asked brashly. Hiccup kept his head down, not wanting to meet the gaze of any of the guards.

"Wait, you there, step forward"

Hiccup looked up at the guard staring at him. Gingerly, he took a few steps forward.

"Who are you?" asked the guard

"Look I don't know what is going on here, but I have nothing to do with it. I'm on my way to Ivarstead. I mean no harm to anyone, you have to believe me" Hiccups voice was cracking with fear. How was he going to get himself out of this mess? The guard turned towards the Captain.

"Captain, what should we do? He's not on the list"

"Forget the list, he goes to the block like all the others" the Captain replied

"By your orders Captain" The guard turned back to Hiccup, a small expression of sympathy across his face "I'm sorry. Follow the captain prisoner" Hiccup didn't want to move, but the prod of a spear in his back encouraged him to start walking towards the block, standing next to Ralof. General Tulius watched from nearby, nodding to the captain as the signal to begin.

"Give them their last rights" The Captain ordered to a women standing next to the headsman, dressed in a long yellow robe, a hood covering her face. Hiccup recognised the clothing from a priestess who had given a small eulogy at Mecius funeral. The priestess stepped forward, lifting her arms into the air.

"As we commend your souls to Aetherius, blessings of the eight divines upon you. For you are the salt and earth of the world, our beloved..."

"For the love of Talos, shut up, and let's get this over with, I haven't got all morning!" One prisoner interrupted, marching defiantly towards the block. The priestess lowered her arms and watched as the prisoner stood before the block.

"As you wish"

The guard pushed the prisoner down onto the block, turning his head to look directly at the headsman, who manoeuvred the axe and prepared to swing.

"My ancestors are smiling at me Imperials. Can you say the same?"

The headsman raised his axe high above his head, pausing for a moment, before bringing the blade down hard onto the neck of the prisoner. Hiccup winced as a sickening sound echoed around the courtyard, steel cutting flesh and bone. The prisoners head bounced off the cobbled floor, blood gushing from his now dismembered body like a river across the floor.

"YOU IMPERIAL BASTARDS!" cried one of the female prisoners standing close by to Hiccup. The guards picked up the dead prisoners body, tossing it into one of the carts, along with the head. Hiccup could smell the blood; it was a putrid smell that made him want to gag.

"As fearless in death as he was in life" Ralof said quietly, dipping his head in respect to his fallen comrade.

"Next prisoner" the Captain ordered, pointing directly at Hiccup. He felt the jab of the spear in his back again, forcing him to take the slow steps forward towards his death. Hiccup closed his eyes and lowered his face towards the ground, small tears falling to the floor, mixing in with the blood. As he was ushered towards the block, a strange sounding cry echoed off somewhere in the distance. Hiccup stopped walking and listened to the strange sound.

"What was that?" he asked to the guard leading him to the block

"Keep moving" the guard grunted, prodding Hiccup in the back once again with the spear. He approached and stood before the block. His heart was racing, was this really how it was going to end? The guard violently kicked the back of his legs, forcing him to kneel, before pushing his head down onto the block. Hiccup watched as the headsman positioned the axe once again. Tears brimming in his eyes, Hiccup whispered to himself. He could nothing now, this was it. This was how he was going to die.

"Astrid…..I'm sorry"

* * *

The rest of the council meeting ran pretty smoothly. Astrid agreed that any man or women on Berk who had received any dragon training would take shifts circling the island, keeping watch for any sign of Berserker ships, or gods forbid, a rouge dragon. Elina would prepare for any emergency by double stocking her herbs and medical supplies. Valka and Gobber would build new catapults and trebuchets on each beach on the island for ground defences.

Ruffnut and Tuffnut had suggested once again that their now revealed plan of underwater explosives would work, and had scampered away to try and find some way of making their insane plan work. Astrid figured that if they were out of the way somewhere, they could only damage themselves rather than everyone else on the island.

But a more pressing matter weighed on her mind, and it was something she had to address immediately.

"Snotlout, we need to talk" said Astrid, stepping onto the docks later that afternoon. Snotlout was busy prepping another ruined ship to be used as part of the blockade. Looking out across the water, Astrid could see Fishlegs and Spitelout towing another ship into position with Fishlegs and Hookfang.

"Can't it wait, I'm busy. I've got to do all this stuff on my won since my dada is using Hookfang" Snotlout replied, not even bothering to look up at her.

"No it can't wait!" Astrid snapped. Snotlout dropped the mooring ropes of the wrecked ship and started straight at her

"Fine, what is it?" he asked

"You've got to stop this whole not trusting Thorin thing" Astrid ordered. Snotlout rolled his eyes and huffed at her suggestion, making her even more frustrated than she already was.

"You can't make me trust someone who we barely know" Snotlout replied

"What is it about him that makes you despise him so much Snot, is it that he is clearly a better warrior than you, a better leader than you, a better man than you?" Astrid asked crossing her arms. Snotlout shot her a menacing stare. If there was one thing he hated above all else, it was someone questioning his abilities as a warrior.

"No way is he a better warrior than me. I am one of the most famous warriors in the whole archipelago. Snotlout, the rider of the Monstrous Nightmare" Snotlout puffed out his chest, flexing his muscles. Astrid sighed, rubbing her eyes in despair.

"Oh come on Snotlout, you ran away from a herd of Terrible Terrors not three weeks ago"

"That was one time...and they ganged up on me" Snotlout protested

"Oh Yeah, what about that group of Gronkle younglings before that" Astrid smirked. Snotlout squirmed on the spot, giving Astrid a small twisted sense of happiness.

"Have you faced a group of those things, how can you train something that just sits around all day eating rocks, then attacks you when you take the rocks away"

"Face it Snotlout, you are just jealous of Thorin" said Astrid, satisfied that she had come to the right conclusion.

"No I'm not" Snotlout objected, his face turning a deep shade of crimson

"Yes, you are, and you need to let your petty insecurities go, we have far bigger issues to think about"

"I could have stopped the Berserker fleet on my own, we didn't need his help. We didn't then, and we don't now" Snotlout growled angrily

"Enough Snotlout, this conversation is closed" Astrid finished, turning around to leave.

"And what about Hiccup?" Snotlout asked. Astrid stopped and turned back to face the disgruntled Viking.

"What about Hiccup?" she asked

"How do we know what is happening to him out there. We have no idea if he is safe. How do we know that Thorin hasn't put him in danger?"

As much as she hated to admit it, Snotlout was right about this. She had no way of knowing if Hiccup was safe or not, where he was or what he was doing.

"Thorin will keep him safe Snotlout, I have no doubt of that..."

The two Vikings exchanged stares for a few awkward moments, before Snotlout went back to working on the next blockade ship. Astrid turned and walked back up the docks, a nagging thought resonating in the back of her mind.

_"Thorin will keep him safe Snotlout, I have no doubt of that...I think"_

* * *

Hiccup could only wait for the impact of the axe on his neck. But the fatal blow never came. Instead, the ground rumbled and shook violently as horrified screams filled the air.

"WHAT IN OBLIVION IS THAT?!" cried Tulius, his horse bucking and neighing wildly.

GGGGRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!

The giant roar shook the ground, a roar louder than any Hiccup heard before, even more that than dragon that attacked the harbour on Berk. The ear splitting cry pieced his senses as Hiccup opened his eyes. Straddled atop the tower in the square, like a giant cloud casting a shadow across the floor, was a huge dragon. It's scales where as black as night, spikes sticking out all across its body, muscles shifting under its scales. Row after row of razor sharp teeth lined its jaws, a swishing tail wrapped around the stone tower.

Soldiers, prisoners, the headsman and villagers alike were fleeing in terror. Hiccup watched as the dragon opened its jaws. Hiccup scrambled to get away from the beast, but instead of breathing fire, the dragon emitted a booming noise, sending him sprawling across the courtyard. The carriages flipped over from the force of the noise, several soldiers were also sent sprawling across the ground. Hiccup landed hard on the ground, his hands still bound together, making it very difficult to protect himself.

Dust swirled around all over the place, stinging his eyes, but Hiccup did catch sight a familiar hooded figure, running across the courtyard towards him.

"Thorin, where have you been?!" Hiccup shouted. Thorin pulled a small blade from his belt and cut Hiccups wrist binds.

"We need to get out of here!" Thorin replied, hoisting Hiccup to his feet.

The dragon flapped its giant wings, blasting more dust and dirt towards the brothers, as it took off into the sky. Swooping down, the dragon grabbed two guards in its claws, flinging them over 100 feet into the air. Hiccup could hear their screams as they plummeted back to the ground to their deaths. Staring through the dust cloud, Hiccup desperately search for some cover.

"OVER HERE, THIS WAY, COME ON!"

Hiccup turned to see Ralof standing at the entrance to a smaller building, ushering people inside to escape from the dragon. Fireballs began to fall from the sky, exploding as soon as they hit the ground, within minutes the entire town would be engulfed in flames. Thorin and Hiccup ran towards the safety of the building, dodging the flames as they crashed down all around them. A few soldiers had not been so lucky, and laid dead around the square, their bodies burnt to a crisp.

Hiccup bounded up the step and into the building, followed closely by Thorin as Ralof slammed the door closed. Hiccup slumped up against the wall, sliding down into a sitting position. Thorin immediately ran over to a group of prisoners and began cutting the binds on their wrists. Hiccup breathed deeply, whipping beads of sweat from his brow.

"Jarl Ulfric, what was that thing, could the legends be true?" Ralof asked in astonishment.

"Legends don't burn down villages. We need to move, now!" replied Ulfric

"Up through the tower, let's go" Ralof ordered to Hiccup and Thorin. The three men ran up the stairs of the building, the sounds of screams and chaos emanating outside the walls. Hiccup tried to block out the horrifying noises, but to no avail. Halfway up the steps, a huge hole had been blown in the wall by the dragon outside, flames licking the broken stones. Ralof stopped and looked out across the devastation below them.

"See that Inn over there, jump across the roofs and get there as quick as you can" Ralof ordered, pointing to another building on the other side of the town, before jumping out through the hole himself. Thorin sheathed his knife back into his belt and followed the Stormcloak. Hiccup looked across the devastation of the town. Almost every single building was on fire, sending plumes of smoke into the air. Local villagers cowered under whatever protection they could find, huddling together in terror. The guards fired arrow after arrow and the winged beast above, but each bounced harmlessly off the dragons' scales. He had never seen such carnage. Bodies were strewn everywhere, the streets a river of blood and fire. Gazing down at the 20 foot drop, Hiccup swallowed thickly, took a few steps back, before running and throwing himself into the air.

Hiccup landed hard, tumbling over onto his right leg. He winced as his knee twisted slightly from the impact, but grit his teeth and hauled himself back up to his feet. Hugging close to a wall for cover, he ran across the courtyard, diving behind a group of barrels stacked outside a flaming house. The heat was tremendous; he could feel it burning on the back of his neck. Checking to see if the coast was clear, Hiccup darted along the road towards a group of guards firing at the dragon. Hiccup spotted the Imperial soldier who had been reading out the list of prisoners at the chopping block. The guard saw Hiccup approaching, his sword drawn.

"Still alive prisoner? Stay close if you want to stay that way!"

Hiccup wasn't going to argue if it meant he kept breathing. The guard sprinted across the street, staying as close the walls as he could to avoid the fireballs falling from the sky. Hiccup quickly followed, his back pressed against the stone. The pair moved quickly past a row of torched buildings. The smoke was choking.

"Stay close to the wall and stay low" said the guard, ducking down to avoid the smoke. Hiccup ducked down as well and crept along behind the guard. The dragon swooped down, landing with an almighty crash on the wall above them. Hiccup and the guard flattened themselves against the rocks, staying completely still as to avoid being detected by the dragon. Hiccup could hear the monster breathing, its breath hot and reeking of brimstone. Hiccup pulled the collar of his shirt over his nose and mouth to escape the toxic fumes

The dragon inhaled loudly, before his jaws exploded in a fiery onslaught at a cluster of soldiers nearby. The flames ripped across the road, engulfing the soldiers in fire. Hiccup listened to their anguished cries and the flames enveloped around them. The noise from the dragon was deafening, like metal ripping apart.

The dragon leapt from the wall and took to the air once again. Hiccup and the guard waited until the heat of the flames had dwindled before pressing on, making the final short dash towards the Inn. Across the square, Hiccup saw Ralof and Thorin sprinting towards the Inn themselves, breathing a small sigh of relief that they were okay.

"Ralof, you damn traitor. Out of my way!" yelled the guard

"We're escaping Hadvar, you're not stopping us this time" Ralof replied, pulling open the door of the keep.

"Fine, I hope that beast takes you all to Sovngarde!" cried Hadvar, running down the road towards a group of Imperial soldiers still shooting at the dragon. Ralof turned to Hiccup, waving his hand inside the

"You, come on, into the keep, quickly!"

Hiccup didn't need telling twice, sprinting through the door, just as the wreckage of a flaming carriage crashed to the ground behind them, sending shards of flaming wood into the air. Ralof and Thorin ran inside, slamming the door closed behind them.

They were safe…for now

Hiccup leaned against the wall of the keep, panting heavily, trying to get some much needed air into his lungs, his body pumping with adrenaline.

"That was too close, are you alright Hiccup?" Thorin asked, whipping sweat and dirt from his brow.

"Yeah I'm okay" Hiccup replied, pushing himself up on the wall to his feet.

"Looks like we're the only ones who made it" said Ralof.

"Sadly, I believe you are right, look there" Thorin remarked

Hiccup and Ralof looked to Thorin, who was pointing across the room. A man is Stormcloak robes lay on the floor, blood splattered across the floor all around him. Ralof ran across the room and knelt at the side of the body, his shoulders heaved with a small sob.

"We'll meet again in Sovngarde brother" Ralof lifted his fallen comrades' hands onto his chest, using his other hand to slowly close his eyes. Thorin bowed his head slightly, before continuing to scan the room.

"That was a dragon wasn't it?" Hiccup asked, although the question didn't really require an answer.

"That it was, no doubt, just like the children's stories and the legends. The harbingers of the end times" Ralof replied

"We have to get out of here before that dragon brings the whole city down on top of us" Thorin interjected, tossing a selection of weapons to Ralof and a set of leather armour and a weapons belt to Hiccup. The belt held a short sword, a small dagger and a collection of throwing knives. The armour didn't look particularly robust, but it would have to do for the time being in the absence of the weapons he had bene given by Jarl Elisif.

"Put those on brother, you will need them". Hiccup quickly slipped the armour over his head, tying it up at the side with a double knot. The weapons belt was quite a large one, so he was forced to wrap it round his body twice to stop it from slipping down. He pulled the sword from its holster, examining the blade, which was jagged and cracked around the edges, but none the less, would provide him with some protection. Ralof quickly slipped his weapons back into his belt, whilst Thorin liberated a nearby cupboard of any food and supplies it had.

"How do we get out of here?" Hiccup asked. The only way out he could see was back through the door, and with the dragon still out there, that was not really going be an option.

"There are tunnels that lead to the other side of the city. We can make our way North from there" Ralof replied, pulling open a small rusted gate, opening up a staircase. The trio jogged down the steps, closing the gate behind them. The noise of the dragon became fainter as they delved deeper underground. They emerged in a small passageway, lanterns providing a very dim light. A dank smell filled the narrow hallway.

"Ugh, it stinks down here" Hiccup grimaced, covering his nose with his arm to stop the smell attacking his nostrils. After the smell of blood and sulphur, this was the last thing he needed.

"The air down here is dank, that means there must be water nearby" Ralof said, examining the moss that was growing on the walls.

"Grab a torch and let's keep moving" Thorin replied as he pulled one of the torches from its mounting on the wall. Ralof and Hiccup did the same, following Thorin down the dark passageway. The ground above them shook slightly, small amounts of dust falling to the floor. Hiccup felt a twinge of guilt as he thought about all those men and women still up there fighting that dragon.

"I'm sorry my friend. We couldn't have anticipated that the Imperials had laid an ambush. It wasn't even for you, but alas you got caught in the crossfire" Ralof said

"Let's just get out of here, we can swap apologies later" Hiccup replied. The three made their way through seemingly endless corridors, the rumbling of the dragon above still shaking the ground from time to time. Turning a corner, the men entered a much wider passageway.

"This looks like a way out" Ralof said optimistically, but before they could move any further, an almighty rumble shook the ground all around them. Hiccup staggered, trying to grab hold of something to help keep his balance. The shaking continued, dislodging a few small rocks from the ceiling. Hiccup jumped out of the way as the stones crashed to the ground in front of him. Larger rocks began to fall, the echoing of their crashes filling the underground chambers.

At long last, the rumbling stopped, and Hiccup, Thorin and Ralof found their path blocked by the collapsed roof.

"Damn it, that dragon doesn't give up easy. We'll have to find another way around" Ralof huffed in annoyance.

"Hey, I think I've got something" Hiccup called, beckoning Thorin and Ralof to a small crack in the wall. Hiccup moved his hand up and down the gap, and as he suspected, he could feel wind blowing through the small crack. Stepping aside, Hiccup watched as Thorin and Ralof grabbed the small gap in the rock, heaving as hard as they could. With a sharp judder, the wall gave way, the rocks crumbling into a small heap at their feet. Peering down the now exposed dark passage way, Hiccup could hear the sound of water flowing. Tentatively, the group descended the narrows passage, the sound of the water becoming louder. After a few hundred feet, they broke through into a large cavern, sunlight gleaming in through a small opening in the ceiling, a small wooden bridge ahead of them

"It's good to see some light again" Hiccup smiled

"We must nearly be out. Let's go" said Thorin, stepping out onto the bridge. The wooden planks creaked slightly as they crossed, but the bridge held firm. As they reached the other side, the ground began to shake violently once again. Hiccup lost his footing, slipping onto his back with a thud on the wet rocks. The ceiling of the cavern began to crack, chunks of jagged rocks plunging towards them. Hiccup desperately tried to scramble away, but the wet rock slowed his progress significantly. Had it not been for Thorin grabbing his vest and yanking him out of the way, he may have been crushed by the falling debris. The small bridge however, did not fare so well, smashing to pieces under the weight of the falling rocks.

"Well, no going back that way now, the others will have to find another way round" Ralof remarked. The three walked further into the cavern, turning round each corner with extra care, the last thing they wanted was anymore unwelcome surprises. Thankfully none came, and rounding the final turning, Hiccup caught sight of an exit. Running towards it, they stepped out into the now gleaming sunlight, the fresh air and the smell of pine trees filled their scenes.

"Thanks the gods, we made it" Hiccup laughed, closing his eyes and taking a long deep breath. The air was clean, the sun felt warm on his skin. He had never been so glad to get out of somewhere before. But before he could enjoy their new environment, the now all too familiar roar echoed across the skies.

"Get down" Ralof snapped, taking cover behind a nearby boulder. Hiccup and Thorin took shelter in a small group of shrubs, looking to the skies as the dragon soared over head. Hiccup placed his hand on the hilt of his sword, but thankfully the dragon flew straight past them. Waiting until there was a safe distance between them and the creature, the three men stood from their hiding places. Ralof breathed a sigh of relief as he watched the dragon disappear behind the mountains.

"Looks like he's gone for good this time. No way to know if anyone else made it out alive, but this place is going to be swarming with Imperials soon enough"

"Where should we go?" asked Hiccup

"Without out supplies and equipment, I wouldn't recommend we stay on the road too long. We need to find refuge where we can restock" Thorin replied.

"My sister, Gerdur, runs the mill in Riverwood just up the road. I'm sure she would help you out. I must thank you both; I never would have made it without your help today"

"Nor us without yours" Thorin smiled back, extending his hand. Ralof gripped it and exchanged a firm handshake with Thorin, before doing the same with Hiccup.

"Come, Riverwood is not far from here" said Ralof, setting off down the road. Hiccup and Thorin exchanged relieved looks with each other, before taking off down the path after Ralof.

* * *

Dagur sheathed his sword, staring around at the strew of dead bodies lying around him. Why could those guards not simply let him pass? He had never been one for formalities and procedures, but sadly, these guards were adamant he wasn't getting through. It was a shame, now he would have to clean his blades all over again.

"Get rid of the bodies" he ordered to his men, who quickly dragged the guards' lifeless forms off of the road. Streaks of blood stained the ground, the stench of battle and death lingered in the air. Pouring a few splashed of water onto the ground to wash away the blood, Dagur continued walking along the road, staring at the map he had taken from Jarl Elisif palace. He was beginning to realise that this place was a lot bigger than he anticipated.

They had been on the road for over a day now, and his men were growing tired and restless. As the sun tried desperately to break through the low cloud, Dagur finally stopped and turned back to his rabble to soldiers.

"We'll rest here for a while. You men get a fire going, the rest of you check the equipment"

The men hastily began their assigned tasks, and before long, a fire was burning nicely. Dagur sat on a tree stump, pulling a leather flask from his belt, gulping down a few much needed glugs of water. Returning the flash to his belt, Dagur pulled out the map, scanning it closely to see how much further they had to go. They had covered good ground so far, and if those guards hadn't held them up, they could have been in Ivarstead by morning.

"Sir, you may want to see this"

Dagur looked up from the map as one of his men stood before him. Getting to his feet, Dagur followed the soldier up the road. After a few hundred meters, the soldier stopped and pointed at the ground. Looking down, Dagur saw blood stains all over the ground, scuffed footprints and deep gashes in the earth from sword strikes. Arrows where embedded in the trees all around them.

"Quiet a scuffle from the looks of things" said the soldier, pulling several arrows out of the trees before adding them to his own quiver. Dagur crouched down, brushing his fingers through the blood soaked dirt.

"Still wet and warm, looks like we only just missed all the fun" Dagur replied, wiping the dirt of his hand. Getting back to his feet, he scanned the ground even further. Hundreds of footprints scattered around in random patterns, big impact areas on the ground, suggesting a body had fallen there. And tracks, carriage tracks, leading down a smaller road between the trees.

"Should we follow the trail sir?" asked the soldier.

"Gather a few of them men. If that little twerp was on this road, I want to know what happened here"

Dagur watched as the soldier turned and rushed back to the camp to fetch some more men. Peering down the road, the Berserker chief was starting to grow a little concerned. If someone else had gotten to Hiccup before him, if someone else had claimed his prize, then heads would roll.

With a group of his men now gathered behind him, Dagur set off down the narrow road. The trees hung low over their heads, like a vegetation archway, castling long spindly shadows across the floor. A slight rustling in the trees gave a few of the men a fright, but Dagur showed no cause for concern. After around half an hour of walking, the Berserkers emerged from the forest trail, and where met by a truly remarkable sight.

The ruins of town laid before them. Buildings where completely destroyed, reduced to smouldering piles of rubble. Homes had been burnt to the ground, small fires still flickering in and around the ruined structures. Scorch marks scarred the ground, blood stains spattered all over the cobbled streets. Bodies laid everywhere, some coated in blood, and others blackened beyond recognition. Dagur walked through the now ruined main gate, gawking at the total destruction that laid before him.

"By the gods, what in the name of Valhalla happened here?" asked one of the soldiers. Dagur approached the wall of one of the houses, noticing three long scratch marks carved out in the stone.

"Only one creature can cause devastation like this...Dragons" Dagur snarled, kicking the prone body of a young man out of his way. His mind was racing. "So, that's Hiccups little plan is it, tame the dragons here, and use them to stop me from finding that scroll and conquering the world. Oh very clever, very clever indeed"

The group of Berserkers continued to walk through the chaos of the ruined town, stepping over more and more bodies as they went along.

"Spread out, look for any signs of any survivors!" Dagur ordered to his men, who quickly split up and began poking around the smoking surroundings. Dagur himself continued to walk through the town, eventually stepping out into what remained of a village square. A stream of blood still flowed across the ground, and following the trail, he saw it lead to a large block of wood outside a crumbling watchtower, a dead guard lying beside it.

"So Hiccup, did your little plan backfire. If you made it out of here alive, I will find you, this I promise"

Then something caught his eye, lying discreetly on the ground only a few feet away. Reaching across, Dagur picked it up, twirling it in his hands.

Wrist binds, severed wrist binds.

"My Lord Dagur!"

The cry from one of his soldiers drew the Berserker chiefs attention to what looked like the only building left standing. Jogging over to the front door, the soldier pushed open the door, allowing Dagur to enter. Another dead body lay across the room, his weapons and armour stripped away. An empty store cupboard adorned the far wall, and an old rusted gate hanging from it's hinges. Peering down into the darkness behind the gate, Dagur smile widened.

"Follow me!" he called to his men inside the building, yanking open the gate and beginning to walk down the passageway.

"Why sir?" asked one of the soldiers, earning himself a deathly glare from his chief.

"There are torches missing from the walls, they've been taken. That means someone survived this carnage, and I think I have a pretty good idea who"


	16. Chapter 16 - What would you have me do?

Thankfully, the journey to Riverwood was uneventful, and Hiccup had seen enough death and destruction in one day to last him a lifetime. He was now almost certain that coming to this place was a terrible mistake. If he had died back there, what would….gods, he didn't even want to think about what would happen to Berk, his friends, his family, Astrid. But he was alive, and that was what mattered.

The trio walked briskly through the trees, the snow covered mountains reaching for the sky in the distance. Before long, they arrived at a small wooden gate, which they passed through with no obstruction.

"We're here" said Ralof, leading the way further up the path. Hiccup looked around, the village looked relatively small, but despite this fact, he could see that there was a lumber mill, tavern, blacksmith and a general goods store, and three log houses &amp; huts, vegetable gardens adoring the front entrances. Several locals were milling around, going about their day to day lives, oblivious to the three of them. Heading towards the mill, Hiccup caught sight of women hanging clothes on a line.

"Gerdur!" Ralof exclaimed. The women looked up from her work, a look of joy spread across her face as she realised where the voice was coming from.

"Brother!" Gerdur ran over and wrapped her arms gleefully around Ralf, hugging him tightly. Hiccup smiles as he watched the siblings embrace, "Mara's mercy, it's good to see you! But is it safe for you to be here? Won't the Imperials be looking for you?" Gerdur asked in concern

"Gerdur, I'm fine. At least now I am." Ralof replied. Gerdur noticed the small spots of blood spattered across his robes, her eyes wide with worry and concern.

"Are you hurt? And who's this? Some of your comrades?"

"Not comrades yet, but friends. I owe them my life in fact" Ralof smiled as he looked to Hiccup and Thorin, "Is there somewhere we can talk? There's no telling when the news from Helgen will reach the Imperials..."

"Helgen? What's happened?" asked Gerdur

"Not here sister" Ralof replied. Gerdur nodded in understanding

"Follow me"

Gerdur lead Hiccup, Thorin and Ralof to a quiet spot near the mill. It didn't look like anyone else was is around, the exception being a man hauling logs onto the large saw of the mill above them.

"Hod! Come here a minute. I need your help with something." Gerdur called up to the man.

"What is it, woman? Sven drunk on the job again?" Hod replied

"Hod. Just come here" The man laid down the log he was carrying and peered down at them. His eyes widened when he saw who was there.

"Ralof! What are you doing here? Ah... I'll be right down"

Hiccup took a seat on a nearby tree stump, rubbing his knee, which was still throbbing slightly thanks to the leap from the tower. Thorin leant up against a nearby tree, taking out his pipe and herb pouch. Ralof and Gerdur sat on another stump nearby.

"Uncle Ralof!"

The group jumped slightly as the unexpected cry came from behind them. Hiccup looked over his shoulder and saw a young boy running towards them, his face illuminated with happiness. The child leapt into Ralof's waiting arms.

"Can I see your axe? How many Imperials have you killed? Do you really know Ulfric Stormcloak?" The child asked excitedly

"Hush, Frodnar. This is no time for your games. Go and watch the south road. Come find us if you see any Imperial soldiers coming" Gerdur ordered.

"Aw, mama, I want to stay and talk with Uncle Ralof!" replied a dejected Frodnar.

"Look at you, almost a grown man! Won't be long before you'll be joining the fight yourself" Ralof smiled, placing the child on the ground and ruffling the mop of brown hair.

"That's right! Don't worry, Uncle Ralof, I won't let those soldiers sneak up on you" Frodnar smiled, before running off towards the gates to watch for Imperial soldiers. Hod walked around the corner of the mill and joined them.

"Now, Ralof, what's going on? You look pretty well done in" Hod asked. Ralof rested his forearms on his knees, leaning forwards and stretching his back.

"I can't remember when I last slept... Where to start? Well, the news you heard about Ulfric was true. The Imperials ambushed us outside Darkwater Crossing. Like they knew exactly where we'd be. That was... two days ago, now"

"If these two are not your comrades, how did they get mixed up in this?" asked Hod, turning his attention to Hiccup and Thorin.

"We were on our way to Ivarstead. I guess we just got caught up by mistake" Hiccup answered.

"We stopped in Helgen this morning, and I thought it was all over" Ralof continued "Had us lined up to the headsman's block and ready to start chopping."

"The cowards!" Gerdur growled angrily.

"They wouldn't dare give Ulfric a fair trial. Treason, for fighting for your own people! All of Skyrim would have seen the truth then"

"How did you escape?" asked Hod

"A dragon attacked" Thorin replied calmly, taking a long drag from his pipe. Both Gerdur and Hod stared at him in disbelief, Ralof and Hiccup wondering how Thorin could remain so calm about such a terrible incident.

"You don't mean a real, live..." Gerdur began, not quite sure she could believe what she was hearing.

"It's true. The dragon destroyed Helgen, nearly killed us as well, I've never seen anything like it before" Hiccup added, leaning back on his step and stretching his sore knee out, hoping to relive the pain in his muscles. The truth was he had seen things like this before, but as was the case in Solitude, he dare not reveal his true vocations with dragons back on Berk.

"I can hardly believe it myself. As strange as it sounds, we'd be dead if not for that dragon. In the confusion, we managed to slip away. Are we really the first to make it to Riverwood?" Ralof asked, looking around for any of the other prisoners or guards that they had seen at Helgen.

"Nobody else has come up the south road today, as far as I know" replied Gerdur

"Maybe we can lay up for a while. I hate to put your family in danger, Gerdur, but..."

"Nonsense, you and your friends are welcome to stay here as long as you need to. Let me worry about the Imperials" Gerdur smiled at her brother, who was quick to return it.

"We are in your debt" Thorin bowed his head to Gerdur and Hod in thanks.

"Thank you so much" Hiccup added, getting to his feet.

"Any friends of Ralof's are friends of ours" replied Hod, placing his hand on Hiccup shoulder. Hiccup looked to the man, a grizzly looking fellow, with coarse rough hands and a bushy beard, and smiled in appreciation.

"Thanks, sister. I knew we could count on you."

"I ought to get back to work before I'm missed, but... did anyone else escape? Did Ulfric..." Gerdur asked tentatively, nervous as to what answer she would receive.

"Don't worry. I'm sure he made it out. It'll take more than a dragon to stop Ulfric Stormcloak." Ralof exclaimed proudly.

"I'll let them into the house and, you know, show them where everything is..." said Hod as he began to walk back towards the mill.

"Hmph, help them drink up our mead, you mean" Gerdur scolded her husband, who could only respond with a shrug of his shoulders, "Good luck to you all. I will come see you later"

"Don't worry about us" Thorin replied, extinguishing his pipe and placing it back inside his robes, "We know how to lay low"

* * *

It had been an incredibly uncomfortable night for the Berserkers. Having found almost every path way in the caverns blocked, they had been forced to spend the night camped underground. Dagur had no idea how much time had passed when he woke, kicking his men awake and ordering them to gather up their gear and push on. Eventually, through blind luck, they found themselves in a wide open cavern, a low light beamed in through the opening in the ceiling. Dagur stood at the edge of the rock face, looking at the remains of a wooden bridge and the raging torrent of water below them.

"Hah, maybe they fell, good riddance to bad rubbish!" cackled some of the soldiers, their laughter echoing off the wet stone walls. Dagur however was not laughing.

"No, they made it through"

"How do you know my lord" asked the lieutenant who had joined Dagur by the rock face.

"Look there" Dagur pointed across the ravine towards a narrow passage on the far side. The Berserker Lieutenant followed the path of his chief's finger, and could see daylight down the passage way, and three extinguished torches lying on the ground.

"How do you think they got across sir?" asked the Lieutenant, kicking a broken piece of wood down into the gorge, where it disappeared into the water. Dagur looked to the roof of the cavern. Large chunks of rock had broken away, broken pieces of stone lay all around them.

"They must have gotten across the bridge just before the cave in, lucky bastards" Dagur sneered.

"So how do we get across? Without the bridge?" asked the Lieutenant.

"Well if you stop talking and give me a moment to think" Dagur growled glaring as the soldier slowly backed away. He did have a good point however, how where they going to get across the ravine. They couldn't climb down, it would be suicidal to try and scale the wet rocks, and the gap was too far to jump. Dagur saw only one solution. He pulled out his bow and a long cord of rope. He tied of the rope around the base of one of arrows, cocking it against the string. Pulling back and taking aim, he fired the arrow at a small crack in the stones across the ravine, hitting his target with precision. Tugging on the rope to test that it would not give way, Dagur looped the other end around a shard of rock on their side of the gorge.

"Everyone climb across….."

Dagur grabbed the rope and swung into the gorge, his legs swinging up in front of him. He wrapped his ankles around the rope, and began to crawl across. Looking back to his soldiers, he saw none of them step forward. Clearly they didn't feel confident in scaling the ravine on that rope.

"NOW!"

That was enough to spur the Berserkers into action. One by one, the men grabbed hold of the rope, swinging down to a hanging position before pulling their legs up and wrapping the ankles around the rope. Slowly but surely, the soldiers crawled hand over hand across the rope, with Dagur leading the way. The rope creaked and groaned under the weight of the men, but it held steady. Dagur reached the other side of the raving, pulling himself up over the lip of the rocks. One after the other, the Berserker soldiers hoisted themselves onto the rocks.

Suddenly, an almighty crack resonated from above them, then another. The rope twanged against the vibrations from the rocks. Locking to the ceiling, Dagur saw the crack where the arrow was lodged grow larger and larger in size. Smaller pieces of stone began to break away and fall all around them. Dagur jumped out of the way of one larger piece that shattered at his feet.

"THE ROOF IS CAVING IN!" screamed one of the soldiers. The rope bucked again, the two men still climbing across it holding on for dear life.

"IT'S THE WEIGHT FROM THE ARROW AND THE ROPE, IT'S GOING TO BRING THE CAVE DOWN ON TOP OF US!" cried Dagur, drawing his knife from his belt and placing it against the rope.

"MY LORE DAGUR, WHAT ARE YOU DOING!" shouted one soldier still climbing across the rope. Dagur ignored his plea, slicing the blade down hard, severing the cords.

"NNNNNNNOOOOOOOOO!"

The rope went immediately slack, sliding off the edge of the rocks. The screams of the soldiers still hanging onto the rope echoed as they plunged to their death in the raging torrent below. Almost immediately, the rocks above them stopped falling, and the crack ceased to spread. Dagur placed his knife back into his belt, and turned to face his horrified soldiers.

"It was either them, or all of us. Does anyone object" Dagur hissed. All of his men quickly shook their heads. "Good, push onwards, I want to get out of these damn caves"

The troop pushed forwards. A few more narrow corridors later, they finally broke out into the light of the early morning sun. Dagur breathed deeply, getting fresh air into his lungs to replace the stagnant air that had attacked his lungs in the dark caverns. The other Berserkers where doing the same, resting against rocks and tree stumps.

"Sir, take a look at this" called the Lieutenant. Dagur walked over to the Lieutenant, who was crouching down by the side of the dirt path leading away from the cave exit. Dagur knelt beside him, examining the path way.

"Tracks…human tracks" Dagur grinned. Finally, they had a decent trail to follow, "On your feet maggots!" Dagur cried to his men, who huffed and puffed their way to their feet, gathering up their gear. Dagur looked back down the pathway and beyond. Above the line of the trees, he could just make out a small village.

"The hunt is on"

* * *

_"__What are you doing, what did he just tell you!?" The young Viking cried, the black dragon crouching menacingly in front of him, his pupils nothing more than slits in the dark yellow eyes._

_"__Come on, SNAP OUT OF IT!" The Viking begged, slowly backing away from the creature. The dragon followed, its jaws slight agape, a blue glow emanating from between the rows or teeth._

_"__STOP!" the Viking screamed, but it was no use. The dragon reared, and prepared to fire._

_"__SON!" came a booming voice, as an older Viking sprinted across the frozen ground towards them. They younger Viking spotted this, throwing his arms in the air to try and stop the larger Viking from coming to close. And then….._

"DAD!" Hiccup cried, bolting upright in his bed, sweat soaking the sheets a dark grey. His breathing was fats and raspy, his heart pounding in his chest like a drum. His eyes darted around the room, trying to gain his bearings as to where he was. His mind raced back over the terrifying images he had seen. As his heart calmed and his breathing returned to normal, Hiccup flopped back onto the sheets, whipping the sweat from his brow and rubbing his eyes.

"That dream…" he whispered to himself. It happened once every few weeks, and had been ever since that day. They day his best friend killed his father, all be it not under his own command. Drago, his Bewilderbeast, they were responsible for Stoicks death, but Hiccup still carried the guilt with him every day, like a Gronkle sitting on his shoulders. The bedroom door suddenly flung opening, light flooding to each corner of the room. Hiccup squinted to the doorway to see Thorin rushing to his bedside.

"Are you all right Hiccup? I heard a scream, what happened?" Thorin asked, sitting on the edge of the bed. Hiccup shifted himself up right, grabbing the leather flask of water from his bed side and gulping down a few swigs.

"Yes, I'm okay, just….a bad dream" Hiccup replied, placing the leather flask back onto the bedside table.

"I heard you cry out for father?"

Hiccup stared at his brother, and a sudden realisation struck him. Did Thorin know what had happened to Stoick, did he know that their father was dead? How could he know? He had been gone for 20 years.

"Do…do you know about….about what happened…to…to Dad?" Hiccup asked, his voice shaking as more memories of Stoick filled his mind. Thorin looked away, lowering his head and clasping his fingers together.

"Yes, mother told me"

"What did she say?" Hiccup asked

"She told me everything" Thorin replied, looking back to Hiccup.

"Everything?"

"Everything"

Hiccup lowered his eyes to his lap. He felt so ashamed. Ashamed that he couldn't protect his father. Ashamed that he had let the dragon war escalate so badly that it had put his people in danger.

"I'm…I'm sorry" Hiccup said gently, a single tear rolling down his cheek. Thorin reached over and placed his hand on Hiccup shoulder, giving it a gentle reassuring squeeze. Hiccup looked up into the smiling face of his brother.

"You are not responsible for the actions of other men. What Drago Bludvist did was reprehensible, and the gods will judge him for that, but you brother, you are a strong, free spirited leader of men. I know father would be proud of you"

Hiccup tried as Hard as he could not to cry, but it was no use, the tears started to flow freely now. Hiccup threw himself forward, pulling Thorin in for a hug. Thorin was a little taken aback at first, but slowly wrapped his arms around his weeping brother.

"It's alright Hiccup…It's alright" Thorin pulled his brother out of the hug, gripping his shoulders, "Now get dressed. We are leaving soon"

Hiccup sniffled and wiped the tears from his already wet face. Waiting for Thorin to leave the room, he gathered up the armour and weaponry from Helgen, washed his face and hands in the small water bowl by the window, and headed out of the house.

Gerdur had laid on a few supplies for Hiccup and Thorin to travel to Whiterun. It wasn't anything extravagant, just a bag of food and a few weapons, two swords and a dagger to be exact. Hiccup holstered the sword in his belt, tucking the dagger into a smaller pouch on his right leg.

"We cannot thank you enough for your hospitality, we are most gracious" said Thorin as he stepped out of the house, bowing his head to Ralof, Gerdur and Hod as they prepared to depart.

"You are welcome here anytime" Gerdur gave smile and bowed back.

"Are your sure you do not want me to accompany you my friends. With that dragon on the loose, who knows what you may encounter on the journey to Whiterun" Ralof asked.

"You have done enough for us already Ralof, and we thank you for that. Once we get to Whiterun, we will make sure the Jarl send some soldiers to help you out" Hiccup replied, hoisting the small bag of food over his back. Picking up the rest of their equipment, the brothers walked away from the house, looking back only once to wave to Ralof, Gerdur and Hod standing on the doorstep.

It was a crisp morning; a low frost hugged the ground like a white blanket. The sun was slowly beginning to emanate through the clouds, not yet able to warm the air. Hiccup could see his breath hanging in the air as they crossed the bridge over the river, the sound of the ground crunching beneath his boot. He had to be careful not to let his prosthetic slip out from under him. The journey was only a few miles, and before long, the skyline of the city of Whiterun hooved into view.

"Do you think that they have heard about what happened at Helen?" Hiccup asked, reaching into the bag of food, pulling out an apple and taking a healthy bite.

"Possibly, but I'm not sure, maybe the guards at the gates can tell us something" Thorin replied, pointing towards the city walls, where Hiccup could see guards patrolling. The pair continued to head towards the city, passing a large watchtower along the way. As they drew closer, they passed a stable and a small farm house, one lone farmer hoeing the ground of its crop. As they approached the gate, two guards stood in front of the doors, blocking their entrance to the city.

"Halt, the city is closed with the dragons about. Official business only"

"We need to speak with Jarl Balgruuf urgently, we come with news about the dragon attack, and with a message from the people of Riverwood. The Jarl must send some troops to protect them" Thorin replied

"Riverwood is in danger too? You'd better go on in. You'll find the Jarl in Dragonsreach, at the top of the hill"

Thorin nodded his thanks as the gate to the city swung open. Hiccup followed close at his brothers heels, trying not to draw to much attention to themselves. The city was much larger than Riverwood; stone building lined the streets in every direction. The pair walked into the village square, a large tree adorned the courtyard, pink leaves blooming from its branches. A large mead hall loomed on a small hill, small market stalls scattered around the edges of the square. Hiccup watched as the townspeople went about their business, catching small parts of their conversation.

"We'll pay whatever it takes, but we must have more swords for the Imperial soldiers"

"I just can't fill an order that size on my own"

Hiccup looked up the larger hill at the grand building standing at its peak.

"Is that Dragonsreach?" he asked, taking another bite from his apple.

"Yes, the seat of Jarl Balgruuf. Come on"

The brothers began to ascend the steps up towards the palace. A small river ran under the stone floors, and Hiccup could see brightly coloured fish swimming in the current. A wooden bridge stood between them and the entrance to the palace, a few guards giving them glancing looks, but allowing them to pass without stopping them. Thorin placed his hand on the door of the palace, shoving it open and holding it, allowing Hiccup to enter.

The palace looked similar to the Mead Hall back on Berk. Torches ordained every wall, large banners hung from the rafters. A huge central table was covered in almost every kind of food imaginable, with the locals inside the palace gorging themselves. Looking around, Hiccup noticed a woman who looked very similar to the Thalmor elves he had seen in Helgen marching towards them.

"That women, is she a...uh…oh what did he call them…" Hiccup wracked his brain trying to remember what Ralof had called them, "Thalmor…yes that's it…is she a Thalmor as well? Hiccup asked Thorin, pointing in the direction of the advancing women.

"No, at least she doesn't seem to be. I believe she is a Dunmer, one of the Dark Elves of the East" Thorin replied, turning to face the Elf.

"She doesn't look very happy to see us" Hiccup remarked, noticing the displeasure smeared across the Dunmer's face as she stood before them, drawing her sword.

"What's the meaning of this? Jarl Balgruuf is not receiving visitors today. Guards!" yelled the Dunmer.

"Wait, wait, we've come from Helgen. We have information about the dragon attack" Hiccup quickly held up his hands and took a small step back, trying to show the women that he was not a threat.

"You were at Helgen?" the Dunmer asked in shock, her stance relaxing somewhat.

"Yes, and a woman named Gerdur from Riverwood, she asked us to come here and ask the Jarl to send troops to protect their village"

"Well that explains why the guards let you in here. I am Irileth, housecarl to Jarl Balgruff. The Jarl will want to speak with you personally, come on"

Sheathing her sword, Irileth stepped aside to allow Hiccup and Thorin to approach the throne. A man sat on the throne, dressed in a royal cloak and gold headband. A giant dragon skull adorned the wall above him. Hiccup stared at the skull, beginning to feel a little uneasy. The man on the throne was too busy arguing with another to see them approach.

"My lord, you have to listen. I only counsel caution. We cannot afford to act rashly in times like these. If the news from Helgen is true... well, there's no telling what it means"

"What would you have me do then? Nothing?" snapped the man sitting on the throne

"My lord, please. This is no time for rash action. I just think we need more information before we act. I just..."

"Who's this then?" asked

"Jarl Balgruuf, my name is Thorin of Ivarstead, and this is my brother, Hiccup Haddock III. We come with news from Helgen my lord"

"You were at Helgen? You saw this dragon with your own eyes?" Balgruuf asked, shifting himself up in his grand chair so he now sat bolt upright.

"Yes" Hiccup replied "The dragon destroyed Helgen. And last we saw it was heading this way, towards Riverwood"

"By Ysmir, Irileth was right!" Balgruff's voice suddenly had a flare of alarm, but quickly, he calmed himself before turning back to the man standing to his left "What do you say now, Proventus? Shall we continue to trust in the strength of our walls? Against a dragon?"

"My lord, we should send troops to Riverwood at once. It's in the most immediate danger"

"The Jarl of Falkreath will view that as a provocation!" Proventus protested.

"If that dragon is lurking in the mountains..."

"He'll assume we're preparing to join Ulfric's side and attack him..."

"ENOUGH!" Everyone in the room became deathly quiet as Balgruuf rose from his chair in anger, his voice resonating around the high ceilings, "I'll not stand idly by while a dragon burns my hold and slaughters my people!" Balgruff declared, returning to his throne.

"We should not..." Proventus began, but was cut off as Balgruuf raised his hand, glaring at his servant. Proventus fell silent, avoiding eye contact with the Jarl, who turned to Irileth.

"Irileth, send a detachment to Riverwood at once"

"Yes, my Jarl" replied Irileth, bowing her head before taking her leave to muster her men.

"If you'll excuse me, I'll return to my duties" Proventus bowed rather timidly.

"That would be best"

Proventus headed away from the Throne, leaving just Hiccup and Thorin.

"Well done. You sought me out, on your own initiative. You've done Whiterun a service, and I won't forget it. There is another thing you could do for me. Suitable for someone of your particular talents, perhaps"

"We are sorry my lord, but we cannot stay, we must continue on our way to Ivarstead. Time is of the essence" Thorin bowed as he began walking away from the throne. Hiccup stared at Balgruuf for a moment, sensing the disappointment in the Jarl at Thorins refusal.

"Thorin, wait" Hiccup called, taking after his brother "Wait Thorin, maybe we should help him?" Hiccup said, catching up with Thorin and taking hold of his arm.

"Hiccup, we don't have the time for this. We must get to High Hrothgar right away" Thorin argued, tugging his arm free of his brothers grasp.

"Thorin, we don't have any supplies, any weaponry or any way of getting to Ivarstead. We could ask the Jarl to help us in return for helping him?"

"We don't have time for this Hiccup. We cannot delay any more in getting to High Hrothgar, we were expected back over a week ago"

"What choice have we got? You know we can't get there without our equipment" Hiccup protested. Thorin looked to the door of the palace, then back to Hiccup. With a sigh, he motioned his hand for Hiccup to lead them back to the throne. Hiccup smiled and nodded, walking back through the hall to Balgruuf.

"What would you have us do?" Hiccup asked.

Balgruuf smiled before standing from his throne, "Come, let's go find Farengar, my court wizard. He's been looking into a matter related to these dragons and... Rumours of dragons"

* * *

_"__Thorin will keep him safe…Thorin will keep him safe…Thorin will keep him safe…""_

This thought had dogged Astrid's mind ever since her conversation with Snotlout the previous afternoon. What is he was right? What if Hiccup was in danger? How was she supposed to know? It was killing her knowing that the man she loved was so far away, and she had no way of being sure he was alright.

"Uh…Astrid…"

Astrid snapped out of her daydream, a group of dragon trainees and their Deadly Nadders eagerly awaiting her instructions, Fishlegs standing to the side, observing the lesson.

"I'm...I'm sorry guys…Fishlegs, can you take over?"

Before her friend could even respond, Astrid turned and headed out of the main arena, Stormfly following close at her heels. No matter how hard she tried to push the thought from her mind, all she could think about was Hiccup and what kind of danger he might be in. She felt so helpless; all she wanted was to know that he was all right.

She walked briskly away from the academy. She needed more time to think, to once again try to supress the images of the man she loved in any form of peril. But it was fruitless; the thoughts clouded her mind.

"Miss Hofferson, are you all right?"

Astrid had been so emerged in her waking nightmares that she hadn't noticed she had walked straight past two Companion soldiers.

"Oh, uh, yes I'm fine thank you" Astrid replied, trying not to look flustered

"Are you sure, you seemed stressed?" asked one of the soldiers. Stormfly nudges the back of Astrid arm, demonstrating her own concern for her rider. Astrid scratched the dragon gently under the chin.

"It's…it's just been a long day, I'm okay honestly" Astrid replied, brushing the bangs out of her hair.

"If there is ever anything you need, anything at all, you need only ask. Master Thorin ordered us to take care of the village and its people, and that is exactly what we will do. We are here to serve" the second soldier quipped, saluting Astrid with the familiar forearm across her chest. Astrid stared out at the ocean for a few moments, her brain still swimming with horrible images of Hiccup in trouble.

"I'm fine, honestly" Astrid affirmed, although not entirely convincingly.

"Well our offer stands. Anything you need, just say the word"

Astrid smiled weakly at the soldiers before carrying on her way. In truth, Astrid was not okay. If something where to happen to Hiccup, if we were hurt, or worse, she could never forgive herself for allowing him to leave. That burden would be too much to bear. She continued walking, and soon found herself in a secluded spot overlooking the harbour. The docks had all but been fully repaired, and the blockade was now starting to really take shape. It was a small comfort knowing that at least they could now defend themselves from the Berserker fleet should they come back.

Astrid could sit looking at the sea for hours at a time, the waves breaking on the rocks nearby, the water rushing up the shore, the wind blowing gently against her skin and taking in the scent of the tree and the ocean. It was one her favourite thing in the world to do, except perhaps for flying. The quietness was something she relished, away from the hustle and bustle of the academy and village. She let the tranquillity of this place wash over her, and felt immediately relaxed.

"Astrid?"

Astrid turned and saw Valka walking along the pathway she had herself just walked. Toothless followed close behind.

"Hi Valka"

"What are you doing up here? I thought you were supposed to be training new riders in the academy today?" asked Valka, stepping off the path and joining her at the cliff face.

"I just needed some peace and quiet, you know, get away from it all" Astrid replied, turning her gaze back to the horizon. Valka looked at her, the almost blank expression on her face, her eyes never leaving the ocean.

"So…are you going to tell me what's wrong, or do I have to ask?"

Astrid let out a hearty sigh. She was getting a bit bored with everyone asking if she was alright. If they knew her at all, they should already know what the problem is.

"I miss Hiccup Valka"

"I know you do, we all do" Valka replied, wrapping her arm around Astrid shoulders and squeezing lightly. Astrid honestly did appreciate everyone being so concerned with her wellbeing, but she was s strong woman, and she had never felt this way before. It was as confusing as it was infuriating.

"I just want to know that he is safe. It's killing me inside not knowing"

"Thorin will keep him safe, don't you worry"

There it was again, that same 5 words that had been resonating in her brain for the past 2 days, _Thorin will keep him safe._

"I hope you are right. If something where to happen to Hiccup or to Thorin for that matter, I would never be able to live with myself"

Toothless nudged his head underneath Astrid's hand, his big wide eyes making contact with hers as she lowered her gaze to meet his. A small smile crept onto her face for what seemed like the first time in days.

"Listen to me Astrid…" Valka asserted "…If have never seen a young man stronger, wiser and more determined that Hiccup. He has faced danger before, and he has always come through, maybe with a limb missing"

That last comment couldn't help but make the two women chuckle to themselves.

"Perhaps you're right"

The two women smiled at one another, standing in silence as they both looked across the glassy waters. But the silence they had hoped to enjoy enjoying was not too last, as the peaceful quiet was shattered by an all too familiar and frightening sound.

The Emergency Horn was being sounded again.

* * *

Hiccup and Thorin followed close behind Balgruuf as they stepped through a smaller arch into a side room of Dragonsreach. The walls of the room where covered in maps and diagrams, random scribbling's littered across almost every space on the tables. Hiccup laughed slightly at his comparison to the mess with that of the twins desks back at the academy. Standing at one of the tables, pawing through a mass of papers, was a hooded man.

"Farengar, I think I've found someone who can help you with your dragon project"

The mage lowered his stack of papers and looked towards the trio standing in his doorway.

"Go ahead and fill them in with all the details. This is a priority now" Balgruuf continued "Anything we can use to fight this dragon, or dragons. We need it, quickly. Before it's too late"

"Of course, Jarl Balgruuf. You seem to have found me some able assistants. I'm sure they will prove most useful" Farengar looked past the Jarl to Hiccup and Thorin. Turning back to Hiccup, Balgruuf placed his hand on the young Vikings shoulder.

"Succeed at this, and you'll be rewarded. Whiterun will be in your debt"

"Thank you sir" Hiccup replied. The Jarl smiled briefly before quickly exiting the room.

"So the Jarl thinks you can be of use to me? He must be referring to my research into the dragons. I could use someone to fetch something for me"

"Okay, that doesn't sound too hard" replied Hiccup

"Well, when I say fetch, I really mean delve into a dangerous ruin in search of an ancient stone tablet that may or may not actually be there" Farengar added timidly.

"Oh, so not much of a challenge then" Hiccup huffed.

"I, ah, learned of a certain stone tablet said to be housed in Bleak Falls Barrow" Farengar continued, walking across the room to stand in front of a giant map "A 'Dragonstone,' said to contain a map of dragon burial sites. Go to Bleak Falls Barrow, find this tablet - no doubt interred in the main chamber - and bring it to me. Simplicity itself"

Thorin stepped over next to Farengar, examining the map as well.

"Imminent danger, small chance of success…" Thorin turned back to face Hiccup, a devious smile spread across his face "…what are we waiting for?"

* * *

**Hi Guys,**

**Firstly, so sorry it took me song long to get this new chapter up, been really busy with work and family stuff as of late so writing time has been greatly reduced. So, Dagur is on his way to Riverwood as well, how long will it be before he catches up to Hiccup? How will the Haddock brothers fair in the dark caverns of Bleak Falls Barrow? Stay tuned and comment.**


	17. Chapter 17 - A Dragonborn Appears

Hiccup stood at the entrance to Bleak Falls Barrow, gazing in awe at the sheer size of the place. Three giant stone arches loomed above them, casting long shadows across the crisp whiteness of the fresh snow on the ground. The trek up to the giant temple had been straight forward, no interruptions, no guards stopping them, no Imperial soldiers, and thankfully, no dragon attacks. A large wooden door now stood before the brothers, who exchanged quick looks before drawing their weapons.

"By the gods, what is it with this place? Did these ancient Nords ever build anything above ground?" Hiccup chortled, surprising himself that he was still able to find some degree of humour in this crazy land. Thorin laughed back.

"Ha, you forget Hiccup; most of these temples are thousands of years old, built whilst the dragon war still raged. The people of Skyrim needed somewhere they could be safe from attack. So they built these fortresses and temples to be a place of refuge"

"Huh, I guess I never thought about it that way" Hiccup pondered, wondering why his father had never thought to build underground shelters during their conflicts with the dragons back on Berk. But then again, they were Vikings; they had well documented stubbornness issues.

"Are you ready?" Thorin asked, placing his hand on the brass door handle. Hiccup took a deep breath before nodding back. Thorin gripped the handle, and heaved on the door as it slowly creaked open. A small gust of air blew through Hiccups hair as the door swung open; the familiar dank smell from the Helgen caverns attacked his senses again.

Hiccup gradually made his way into the temple, the clunk of his prosthetic reverberating all around them. A small fire crackled and popped up ahead, with several men sleeping around it. Trying to be as quiet as possible, Hiccup and Thorin crept their way towards the slumbering men, keeping to the shadows as much as they could to avoid being detected. But as they got closer, Hiccup could not hear the sounds he would normally associate with sleep. None of the men were moving, they weren't even breathing. They were dead.

"What the hell happened in here?" Hiccup asked, pulling his shirt over his nose and mouth to escape the ever increasing foulness of the air.

"They look like…treasure hunters" Thorin replied, poking one of the motionless corpses with the tip of his bow. Looking around, Hiccup spotted several sacks of coins and other gold items laying nearby.

"Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all" Hiccup said a little tentatively, for some reason not being able to take his eyes off the bodies in front of him. Thorin looked to Hiccup and saw this too, quickly positioning himself between his brother and the fallen treasure hunters.

"Come on, the sooner we find that Dragon Stone, the sooner we can get out of here, but use caution. This was tomb after all, so who knows what we will find down here. Stay on your guard and stay quiet"

"What do you expect us to find down here?" Hiccup asked, his voice shaking slightly as a cold jolt rushed down his spine.

"I don't know, but whatever we do find, we need to be ready for it" Thorin gripped his brothers shoulder reassuringly. He hated seeing Hiccup scared, especially when it was of his doing. He had convinced Hiccup to come to Skyrim, and it would be his burden to bear if he came to any harm. But he would not let that happen, he would fight anyone who threatened his family.

Hiccup finally broke his gaze on the bodies, adjusting his grip on the hilt of his sword. His palms were becoming sweaty as the nerves started to creep in on him. He had always disliked being underground, it conflicted with everything about his free spirt, he much preferred being in the skies, gazing down at the beautiful world below him, not dead bodies in a cold, dark temple. He missed everything that he had left behind, but Thorin was right, the quicker he did whatever it was that he had been brought here to do; the quicker he could get back to where he really belonged.

The pair slowly began to make their way through the ruined temple. Large puddles of water lined the floors of the narrow corridors, fungus and vegetation sprouting from almost every direction. Whatever this place had been, it was clear it had been long since abandoned by everyone other that looters and bandits. The dripping of moisture from the low ceilings echoed throughout the dim passageways, as did the quiet clunks of Hiccup foot on the slippery stone floors.

It didn't take the pair very long to navigate the first set of passageways, before finding themselves facing their first obstacle. An iron gate blocked their path forward, a large level protruded from the ground in front of them.

"That lever must open the gate" said Hiccup, striding up the level and wrapping his free hand around the handle.

"Hiccup, wait…"

Hiccup pulled hard on the lever, which ground and churned as the mechanism moved before snapping back to its original position. For a few seconds, a few blissful seconds, nothing happened, but then, Hiccup heard the small, but distinctive sounds of bow string cracking. Thorin threw himself at Hiccup, wrapping his arms around him, tackling him to the floor. Everything seemed to be happening in slow motion at that brief moment, as a small, but incredibly sharp, metal bolt whizzed past Hiccups face, so close he could feel the rush of wind on the bridge of his nose.

The brothers clattered to the ground with a hard thud as hundreds of the tiny metal bolts smashed into the ground right where they had been standing only a few moment s before. Hiccup shut his eyes and covered his head with his arms, desperately trying to shield himself. After only a few seconds, which seemed an awful lot longer to the shocked Viking, the barrage of bolts ceased, and everything became quiet again. Hiccup slowly opened his eyes, Thorin laid beside him, stirring as he rolled onto his back before sitting up. Hiccup pushed his back from the ground into a sitting position as well, brushing the dust and dirt from his hair and clothes.

"Woah, that was too close. Thank you for save…my gods, Thorin, your arm!" Hiccup exclaimed in horror. Thorin turned his gaze to his right arm, a small trickle of blood flowed down his bicep, where one of the bolts had firmly lodged itself into his flesh.

Hiccup stared in shock, his mouth hanging open slightly as he watched Thorin get to his feet. The older Viking wrapped his hand around the base of the bolt, gritted his teeth, and exhaled painfully as he yanked the metal shard from his arm, dropping it to the floor with a clatter. Hiccup gradually got to his feet, not quite sure what he was supposed to say or do now. Thorin pursed his lips and breathed rapidly through his nose as the pain began to take over his right arm.

"Thorin, I'm so sorry, are you okay?" Hiccup cautiously stepped forward. Thorin simply exhaled once more before his eyes locked with Hiccups.

"Stay on your guard…and stay quiet" Thorin repeated his earlier statement, albeit with far more intensity than before. Reaching into his hip satchel and producing a small bandage wrap, Hiccup watched as Thorin wrapped the bandage around his arm, tying it of securely with a tight knot.

"There has to be another way around" Thorin looked around the room, searching for any other means of opening the gate.

"Maybe they have something to do with it" Hiccup pointed. Thorin Followed his brother finger, his gaze coming to rest of three large sculptures just above the gate, well, two sculptures and one crumbled ruin lying on the ground in front of them. Thorin approached the collapsed statue, taking a knee beside it to examine it further. It looked almost like a human face, but the mouth was spread incredibly wide. A large stone filling the gap, covered in intricate markings.

"It sort of looks like a snake" Hiccup commented, peering over Thorins shoulder. Thorin rubbed his chin as he racked his brain trying to think of what they could mean. Hiccup meanwhile continued to scan the room, those statues had to mean something, but what? His gaze finally landed on what he had been looking for. Three stone columns stood to the left of the room. They were well disguised as normal columns, but something about them caught Hiccups eye. He saw the same symbol marked on one of the pillars as one of the symbols on the statues above the gate.

"Hmm, what if we…." Hiccup walked over to the first column, placing his hand against the cold stone, giving the column a gentle push. As per his suspicions, the column shifted under the pressure, turning fractionally to the left. Hiccup smiled, looking back to the three statues above the gate.

"Snake, Snake and Whale" He whispered to himself, pushing at the first column once again until the symbol of the snake faced forward.

"Hiccup, what are you doing?" Thorin asked, who had only just noticed his brother turning each of the columns to the required position.

"I think this should do it" Hiccup replied, sliding the second column into position, before proceeding onto the third. With all three columns in place, Hiccup stepped back over the lever.

"Are you sure this will work?" Thorin queried.

"Uh…I have no idea, but we should at least try it"

Thorin nodded in response, bracing himself as Hiccup grasped the lever, pulling it backwards before letting it snap back again. Both men winced, half expecting another round of bolts to be fired in their direction, but instead, with a click, the gate swung open, clanging against the stone walls. Hiccup and Thorin simultaneously exhaled in relief.

"Amazing! A combination lock system. I've never seen anything like this before, it's incredible" Hiccup was hopping with excitement, almost giddiness even, "This is definitely something I will have to try and implement back home"

Thorin watch in amusement at his brothers' enthusiasm towards the contraption. It was a rare thing to find anyone in Skyrim with a passion so unique, to marvel in the simplest of things. Thorin found it truly inspiring.

"We should push on" Thorin patted his brother on the back, nodding his head in the direction of the now open gate. Hiccup walked towards the gate, Thorin following close behind, their weapons still drawn. A few more narrow passageways lay before them, which they passed through with no more blockages. Hiccup prayed that the gate was the last problem they would face before they found the dragon stone. He would soon see that this was wishful thinking.

The pair emerged from the latest set of cramped corridors, finding themselves standing in a huge chamber. Enormous stalactites hung from the ceiling, their bright coloured minerals sparkled against the light streaming in through the cracks in the roof. A waterfall flowed down into a winding river below them, a stone bridge covering the gap. Up ahead, Hiccup could see raised sort of platform, a wall covered in strange looking carvings and runes running across the back edge. Positioned at the foot of the wall was a large stone casket.

"This must be the main chamber" Hiccup commented, sheathing his sword back into his belt "Let's find that dragon stone and get out of here, I'm sick of being underground"

Thorin nodded in agreement. The pair slowly crossed the stone bridge and approached the platform. Hiccup kept his hand on the hilt of his sword, ready for anything that might spring out on them. As they approached, Hiccup could start to make out some of the symbols on the wall. He had seen them somewhere before, deep gashed carved into stone, just like that strange rock he had found back on Berk. Hiccup brushed his fingers lightly across the markings. What where these things?

_CRACK!_

Both brothers suddenly bolted upright, slowly turning their heads towards the casket. This lid shuddered, small amounts of dust floating into the air through the now visible gap between the lid and the main body.

_CRACK!... CRACK!_

"Thorin?"

"Be ready"

Hiccup pulled his sword from its holster, grasping the handle with both hands and pointing the tip of the blade towards the casket.

_CRACK!_

The lid of the casket exploded into the air, landing with an almighty crash. An unmistakable and foul stench of decay erupted from the casket, attacking their nostrils once more Hiccup turned his head away, shielding his eyes from the copious amounts of dust now floating in the air. Opening his eyes, he peaked at the casket, and the ghastly looking creature pulling itself out.

"WHAT IS THAT THING!?" Hiccup cried, the sword shaking in his grasp.

The creature heaved itself upright, swinging its legs out of the casket before standing before them. The creature looked like a dead body; swollen, blackened and generally hideous to look at. Hiccup watched as the creature flexed its rotting muscles, its wispy white remains of hair falling across its brow. Its lips where tight and drawn in, bandages hung from its arms and legs, the skin was drawn tightly across its bony structure. The 'eyes' were luminescent, but did not show any signs of life whatsoever.

Thorin and Hiccup stood firm, both of them keeping their weapons pointed at the unholy being in front of them. The creature reached back into his tomb, retrieving a hideous, jagged axe. With an almighty cry, the creature charged towards them, the axe swinging wildly. Hiccup rolled to one side to avoid being cut in half, he could hear the axe blade cut through the air where he had just been standing. The creature thundered towards Thorin, bringing the axe down hard as Thorin lifted his own blade.

The clang of steel was almost deafening. Thorin deflected the first, second and third blows as the creature swung the axe over and over again. Hiccup leapt to his feet, took a breath and charged, his blade pointing directly at the creatures back. Thorin caught a glimpse of Hiccup out of the corner of his eye as the creature slammed the axe down onto his sword once more. But this time, Thorin twisted his body, gliding underneath the outstretched arm of the monster. The creature roared in anger and turned to face his foe, just as Hiccup lunged forward with the blade.

Hiccup watched as his sword cannoned towards the creatures' belly, ready to slice into the decaying flesh. And make contact it did, the handle of the sword slamming into the creatures belly, the tip of the blade sticking out the far side. Dark crimson blood spattered the wall behind the creature, who screamed in despair as the blade cut through his body, dropping the axe to the floor. Hiccup stared at the handle of his blade, shifting around as the creature struggled to pull itself free. Blood flowed from the wound over his hands, making the hilt of the blade even more slippery. Slowly, he began to extract the blade from the creature; the putrid stank of blood and gangrene making him gag.

Then to his horror, the creature grasped hold of Hiccups blade. Hiccup looked up into the contorted face of the monster, its mouth open in a low growl. The creature began to pull the blade out of its own body, glaring into Hiccup eyes with an unrelenting fury.

_SLASH!_

The creatures' hands went slack, sliding off of the blade. Its body crumpled backwards, the sound of the blade slicing through it rang in Hiccups ears. The body fell back, slamming to the floor, its head bouncing away like a ball. Hiccup didn't know how long he stared at the body, blood dripping from his hands. Dropping the blade, the young Viking sank to his knees, staring at his crimson hands. Thorin stood above him, his own weapon hanging in the same position it had been as he sliced off the creatures head.

"Hiccup, are you alright?" Thorin asked, crouching down and placing his hand on Hiccup back, who was still starting aimlessly at his hands, "Hiccup?"

"We… we killed it… I killed a… living thing…" Hiccup voice was shaky and rattled, his eyes never leaving the dark stains on his skin.

"That thing wasn't living Hiccup, it was a Draugr. An undead creature, which exists only to guard their treasure and wreak havoc on living beings"

"But…I killed it…"

"Hiccup, listen to me…" Thorin grasped Hiccup shoulders, staring directly into his brothers vacant expression "…that creature was not of this world. We had no choice but to kill it"

Hiccup failed to find comfort in his brothers' words. The dead draugr lying in front of him did nothing to settle his stomach, his insides becoming twisted and knotted at the site of the dead creature. Heaving, Hiccup violently threw up on the ground, Thorin cringing as Hiccup huddled over, coughing and spluttering, before wrapping his arms around Hiccup and hoisting him to his feet. Hiccup whipped his face with his sleeve, his gaze still not leaving the body of the Draugr corpse. Thorin looked over to the stone casket, then back to Hiccup.

"Steady yourself brother, come on, let's get what we came for and go"

Hiccup blinked a few times, before finally being able to pull his vision away from the draugr. Thorin walked over to the stone casket, reached inside and pulled out a small slab of rock. Hiccup gingerly backed away from the body of the draugr, the horrible image of those evil eyes still burned on his brain. Thorin tucked the stone slab into his satchel as the pair ascended the stairs away from the platform.

* * *

Astrid had only ever flown this fast a few times in her entire life, and each occasion, it was because something bad was happening. She hunkered down, pressing her body in the back of her dragon, the wind whistling in her ears, accompanied by the still blaring Emergency horn. Valka followed close behind on the back of Cloud Jumper, and Toothless raced along beside her, the mechanisms of his flight gear clicking at they sped along. Gazing down at the village as sped overhead, she could see the men grabbing their weapons from their homes, the women and children being ushered into the nearest buildings, it was chaos. She also saw Gobber running through the streets, trying to attach the axe prosthetic to his arm.

"Land girl, quickly"

The Nadder cawed before diving towards the ground. Touching down with a thud, Astrid hopped of her dragon and ran towards Gobber. Valka, Cloudjumper and Toothless landed close by, the dragons feeling very distressed at all the commotion and noise going on around them.

"Gobber, what's happening!?" Astrid called; raising her voice just enough so Gobber would hear her over the sound of the panicked villagers.

"Berserker ships, they've been spotted just off Black Heart Bay!" Gobber responded, running up and stopping just in front of Astrid, his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath.

"How is this possible, how did they get past the blockade?" asked Valka

"They must have massed to the west during the night, slipped in under the cover of dark!" replied Gobber, who finally managed to click his axe onto his hand.

"Where are the other riders?" asked Astrid, looking around and not catching sight of any of her friends anywhere.

"I was delivering some new targets to the academy when the horn sounded. The other riders will secure the academy and meet us at Black Heart Bay!"

"Right, let's get moving!"

Astrid and Valka turned and sprinted back to their dragons. As soon as they were air-born, the three dragons and two human raced towards Black Heart Bay. After a short flight, they bay came into view, a gathering of the Companion soldiers stood as the cliff face, their bows drawn and ready to fire. Sure enough, a few hundred yards of shore, were the Berserker ships.

"Dagur, you bastard" Astrid cursed under her breath. Was there nothing that that slime ball wouldn't do to destroy their home? The dragons touched down at the top of a small cliff overlooking the bay. Astrid leapt from Stormfly and ran to the cliff edge, expecting a barrage of arrows to come from the ships. But then, something caught her attention. The ships had their sales secured, their anchors dropped.

They weren't advancing.

"What is going on here? Why aren't they attacking?" Valka asked, echoing Astrid's confusion.

"I don't know" Astrid replied, pulling out her spyglass and peering at the Berserker fleet, "But from the looks of it, they have repaired most of their ships"

"Do you see Dagurs ship?"

Astrid continued to peer through the spyglass. Each of the Berserker ships had indeed been repaired, and upgraded substantially since their last raid. She could make out new cannons, dragon traps adorned the decks, reinforced masts, and even the crew carried more weapons than before. Whatever these Berserkers were there for, the clearly expected a fight. But one thing she could not see was the flagship.

"No. This doesn't make any sense, why wouldn't he be here? It's not like Dagur to miss a fight"

"You don't think…you don't think he went after Hiccup do you?" Valka asked, her voice full of sudden fear.

"How would he even know where he's gone" Astrid replied

"So where is he?" Valka asked again.

The truth was far more frightening than Astrid dared to admit. If Dagur had gone after Hiccup, he would have had a plan. Dagur was a clever tactician, not the sort of man to rush blindly into anything. His plans where always calculated, and if he wasn't here leading his armada, then there was only one other thing he would be doing, something he had done for the past 20 years, hunt down Hiccup.

The two women were interrupted by the squawks of the other dragons and their riders landing behind them. Snotlout, Fishlegs, Ruffnut, Tuffnut and Gobber all sprinted from their dragons to the cliff face, each of them sharing the same shocked expression upon catching a glimpse of the Berserker fleet.

"My gods….the ships….what….how did they…." Fishlegs stammered his incoherent rambling drawing an annoyed stare from Snotlout.

"What shall we do?" asked Gobber "We can't just stand here and wait for them to attack us"

"But would they just invade like that" Astrid added "By law that is a declaration of war"

"Uh guys…."

"I say we fly out there and sink them all, send them to the bottom of the ocean!" Snotlout cried, drawing his axe and marching towards the narrow path that led to the beach.

"Snotlout wait, we don't even know why they are here" Valka grasped Snotlout by the arm, stopping him dead in his tracks.

"Guys…"

"They're Berserkers, if they are here; it means they want to fight. And since you all thought it was a great idea to let Hiccup leave, I guess it's up to me to deal with this!" Snotlout yanked his arm out of Valka's grasp, and resumed his march towards the beach.

"Not this again, for the last time Snot, you have too….."

"GUYS!"

The Vikings and Companions all turned their attention to Tuffnut, surprised at his sudden outburst. The male Thornston was staring through his own spyglass, his finger pointing out towards the fleet of ships. The others all redrew their spyglasses, focusing them on the Berserker ships. A small rowing boat was making its way towards the shore, a few Berserkers on board.

"What is this?" Gobber quizzed, looking over the edge of his spyglass at the approaching rowboat.

"We need to get down there" Snotlout retorted.

"As much as I want to avoid a fight, you're right" Valka admitted, stroking Cloudjumper on the snout.

"Of course I'm right. The moment they set foot on our land, they officially declare war, so let's go!" Snotlout bellowed, not waiting for the others to even draw their swords. Jumping onto the back of Hookfang, the burly Viking soared into the air, diving straight down the cliff face towards the beach.

"Companions, down to the beach!" Astrid cried as he ran back to Stormfly. The Companion soldiers sheathed their bows, slipping their arrows back into their quivers before taking of down the path. Astrid, Valka, Gobber and the others hopped aboard their dragons, taking off and following Snotlout down the cliff face. Astrid watched the row boat get closer and closer to the shore as they sped towards the ground. Landing on the sand, the Vikings jumped from their mounts, drew their weapons and stood ready. The Companions reached the bottom of the cliff face, reformed their ranks and drew their bows.

The row boat dug into the soft sand as it hit the shore. One of the men stood, a huge man, almost the size of Stoick, a large brown scraggly beard hung from his chin. His skin dirty and stained, ragged white scars adorning his arms and neck, with clothes you'd expect to see worn by prisoners. As the boat drew closer, each of the Vikings drew a collective gasp as the now recognisable face drew nearer.

"Alvin?" Astrid exclaimed,

The former Outcast chief raised his head slightly, the whites of his eyes bloodshot, his face covered in bruises and cuts. His hands where shackled together, the metal painfully cutting into his wrists. One of the Berserker soldiers stood and aggressively shoved Alvin in the back. Alvin fell from the front of the boat, landing hard on the rocky shore line. Valka ran over to Alvin, crouching down to check if he was alright. She had never met the man before, but had heard stories about how he aided Stoick and Hiccup in their past battles against Dagur.

"Gobber, come help me please" Valka called, trying to hoist Alvin to his feet. Gobber ran across the beach, taking Alvin by the arm and pulling his to his feet. Alvin's knees buckled, his strength failing him.

"They really did a number on you didn't they?" said Gobber as they hobbled up the beach and away from the Berserkers. Alvin opened his mouth to respond, but no words came out, he was too weak to even speak, a stark contrast to the fierce warrior they all remembered.

"We have to get him to Elina right away"

Gobber nodded as the two led Alvin towards Cloudjumper. Gobber helped Alvin climb onto the back of the dragon, before Valka took her mount and took off into the air. Gobber and the others watched as the Stormcutter disappeared over the top of the cliff, before turning back to the Berserkers.

"What do you want here?" Astrid snarled at the Berserker soldiers. The man who had shoved Alvin smirked self-righteously, stepping off the boat and onto the beach. Astrid raised her hand, signalling the Companion to prepare to fire.

"If you take one more step, you will have declared war, and I will not hesitate to cut you all down!" Astrid barked. The Companions held their arrows in place, their bow string tight, awaiting the order to fire. The Berserker let out a cackling laugh.

"We come to deliver a message from the great Dagur the Deranged. Where is Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III?"

Astrid glared at the Berserker, one hand grasping her axe, the other still raised in the air. The bow strings of the Companions creaked as they held their aim squarely at the Berserkers.

"He is not here, so whatever message you have from Dagur, you can deliver it to me" Astrid replied. The Berserker smiled manically, his mouth missing several moulded teeth. Astrid cringed at the sight.

"Oh the mighty Astrid Hofferson speaks, how delightful. I suppose you will suffice in Hiccup absence, even though you are merely a woman"

Astrid leered towards the Berserker, her axe ready to slice his flesh, and it may well have done, had it not been for Fishlegs grasping her shoulder to stop her.

"And what message is that?" asked Snotlout, Hookfang growling behind him.

"I'm sure your friend over their can explain" sneered the Berserker, glancing a look towards Alvin. Astrid turned her gaze towards the still hobbling former Outcast.

"What do you mean? Explain yourself now?!" Astrid was growing increasingly agitated.

"All in good time, but for now, you may want to take a look at this"

The Berserker reached inside his robe and pulled out a roll of parchment, tied with a small piece of brown string. Tossing the piece of parchment towards the Vikings, the Berserker pushed the rowboat back into the surf, hopping aboard as the small crew rowed back towards their ships. Astrid lowered her hand, and the Companions lowered their bows.

Snotlout stepped forward, sheathing his sword and bending down to pick up the scrap of parchment. Untying the string, he began to read. His eyes grew wide as he scanned the page, all the colour seemed to drain from his face.

"Snotlout….what does it say?" asked Astrid as she walked and stood beside him. Without even looking at her, Snotlout held out the parchment. It looked like it had been torn from another document, its edges frayed and dirty. Astrid took it from him, and began to read it herself.

_Article 5.2.4 – War Declaration_

_In the event of hostilities between two or more tribes, a formal declaration of war must be made, approved and signed by the instigation chieftain or tribal council. The opposed tribe are permitted 14 days to respond in kind or with a formal surrender. In the event that these 14 days pass without such previous responses, this will be taken as a corresponding declaration of war._

Astrid crumpled the parchment in her hands, which were shaking in rage.

"That dirty, low life scumbag" she whispered under her breath.

"What is it Astrid? What did it say?" asked Fishlegs. Astrid tore the parchment to pieces, dropping the confetti into the sand as she turned back to face the others.

"Gather the council, and send word to the other chieftains" Astrid ordered as she marched towards Stormfly.

"Why? What's happening?" asked Tuffnut, who in truth hadn't been paying that much attention despite the fracas. Astrid hopped onto Stormfly, who crowed at cawed as she spread her wings.

"We may be at War"

* * *

Hiccup loved the feel of the crisp wind and the setting sun on his skin as they emerged from the dark tunnels of Bleak Falls Barrow. Gone was the dank and dirt of the long abandoned tomb, replaced with red evening skies and snow laid across the floor like a great white canopy

"Ahhhhhhh, finally!" Hiccup exclaimed as they emerged from the tunnels "No more dark caverns, not more booby traps, no more draugr trying to kill us!" Hiccup held out his arms, breathing long and slowly through his nose, taking in the amazing scent of pine and snow from the forest surrounding them. Thorin shielded his eyes from the low glare of the sun reflecting of the frozen ground, wincing slightly at small but sharp pain in his arm. The wince and small inhale didn't go unnoticed by Hiccup.

"Thorin, are you okay?"

"Yes I'm fine, it's nothing really. Come on, we must get back to Whiterun. Jarl Balgruuf will be keen to hear of our progress".

Hiccup nodded and followed Thorin back towards the front entrance of the temple, where thankfully, their two horses remained tied to their posts. Hiccup approached his mount, stroking it gently on the neck. His skills with the dragons he had found could be transferred to horses, gentle strokes and words of encouragement did a lot of good. Hiccup grasped hold of the cold leather, pulled himself up and swung his leg over the steeds back, grasping the reigns firmly, but gently in his hands. Thorin pulled himself onto his horse, and smiled as he watched Hiccup adjust the stirrups of his saddle.

"You seem far more comfortable on horseback now brother" Thorin chuckled

"Yeah, who knew it was similar to dragon riding. Took a bit of getting used to but I think I've just about go it" Hiccup replied, stroking his mounts main softly.

"Up for a little race then?" Thorin asked with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"Where to?" Hiccup asked, tightening his grip on his reigns.

"You remember the way back to Whiterun?" Thorin asked

"Yes" replied Hiccup, but before he was even ready, Thorin took off, the sound of the snow crunching under his horses hoofs echoed across the clear skies.

"HEY, NO FAIR!" Hiccup bellowed whilst laughing at the same time.

"Try and keep up" Thorin shouted back, his horse accelerating down the hill. Hiccup gently kicked his heels, and bolted after Thorin, pressing his stomach down against his horses back. The breeze rushed through his hair, the cold making his skin tingle. He could hear the beating heart and breathing of the horse as they sped through the trees.

Thorin was about 50 yards ahead now, but they were catching up. The landscape flashed past them as the brothers rode, the rolling hills in the distance, a large lake stretched to their left, the sun glistening of the glass like surface. The pounding of hoofs on the soft ground rang in Hiccups ears. He drew closer and closer to Thorin, his body pumping with adrenaline. Drawing side by side with his brother, Hiccup glanced across. Thorin was laughing, his own horse galloping faster and faster.

"Come on, let's show him what we can really do" Hiccup whispered to his horse, cracking the reigns. The horse neighed loudly and exploded into a gallop. Hiccup had to hold on tight to as the g-force threw his body back. Whiterun was coming into view over the hills. Hiccup rode as hard as he could, until at last, they arrived at the stables. Hiccup pulled back on the reigns, his mount coming to a sudden stop. Thorin pulled up next to Hiccup, and the brothers dismounted.

"Well done brother, your skills are improving" Thorin chuckled, slapping Hiccup on the back, causing eh younger Viking to stumble forward slightly. Hiccup chuckled to himself that it was clear Thorin had inherited their fathers' strength, "Let's get that Dragonstone to Farengar"

Hiccup nodded. The brothers quickly made their way through the main gates of the city and up the stairs to Dragonsreach. Throwing open the door, they made their way through the hall to Farengar's study. The wizard was deep in conversation with a hooded woman as they approached, both examining a large piece of parchment.

"You see? The terminology is clearly First Era or even earlier. I'm convinced this is a copy of a much older text, perhaps dating to just after the Dragon War itself. If so, I could use this to cross-reference the names with other later texts"

"Good. I'm glad you're making progress. My employers are anxious to have some tangible answers" replied the woman, pickup up another scrap of parchment, rolling it up and tucking it into her tunic.

"Oh, have no fear. The Jarl himself has finally taken an interest, so I'm now able to devote most of my time to this research" replied Farengar

"Time is running, Farengar, don't forget. This isn't some theoretical question. Dragons have come back"

"Yes, yes, don't worry, although the chance to see a living dragon up close would be tremendously valuable" Farengar stared at a large portrait of a dragon adorning the left wall of the study, "But enough about that, let me show you something else I found... very intriguing... I think your employers may be interested as well..."

"You have a visitor"

Farengar whipped his head round, spotting Hiccup and Thorin standing at the doorway.

"Ah, yes, the Jarl's protégés! Back from Bleak Falls Barrow? You didn't die, it seems"

"Not today" replied Thorin, pulling the stone slab from his bag and throwing it down on the table. Farengar's eyes lit up, a smile crept across his face as he rubbed his hands across the smooth rock.

"Ah! The Dragonstone of Bleak Falls Barrow! Seems you are a cut above the usual brutes the Jarl sends my way. My... associate here will be pleased to see your handiwork. She discovered its location, by means she has so far declined to share with me"

Hiccup looked to the hooded woman. She wore dark robes, similar in colour to the robes Farengar was wearing, but much more heavily armoured, a broadsword and dagger hanging from her belt. The hood covered most of her face, but Hiccup could just make out a few wisps of blonde hair on her brow. Farengar also turned back to the women, holding the Dragonstone up for her to see.

"So your information was correct after all. And we have our friend here to thank for recovering it for us"

The woman looked to Hiccup and Thorin, a small smile and a nod showing her impress of the two Vikings.

"You went into Bleak Falls Barrow and got that? Nice work" she praised, before turning her attention back to Farengar "Just send me a copy when you've deciphered it"

"Of course"

"FARENGAR, FARENGAR COME QUICKLY!"

Hiccup, Thorin and Farengar all turned to the arched entrance of the study, where Irileth was waiting impatiently.

"What's happening?" Hiccup asked

"A dragon has been spotted, just west of the city"

Hiccup and Thorin exchanged worried looks. They had both seen what the Dragons of Skyrim where capable of, even on a small village like Helgen. The damage it could do to a city like Whiterun would be devastating.

"A dragon? How exciting, where is it, what was it doing?" Farengar asked with enthusiasm.

"I would take this a little more seriously if I were you Farengar. Come, the Jarl has summoned us. You two as well, follow me"

Irileth turned and headed towards a doorway at the side of the throne. Thorin and Farengar followed her, with Hiccup the last to pass through and closing the door behind them. They stood in a large room, weapons and armour stacked on racks across each wall. Hiccup had never seen so many weapons in his life, not even in Gobbers forge back on Berk. A city guard was standing in the centre of the room, Jarl Balgruuf pacing back and forth.

"So, Irileth tells me you came from the western watchtower?" Balgruuf asked to the guard.

"Yes my Jarl" the guard replied, his hands visibly shaking in terror.

"Tell him what you told me. About the dragon" Irileth interjected.

"We saw it coming from the south. It was fast... faster than anything I've ever seen" replied the guard.

"What was it doing? Is it attacking the watchtower?" Hiccup asked, eager to find out exactly what had happened. In his eagerness he had not realised that he had stepped right up to the guard. Thorin placed a hand on Hiccups shoulder, encouraging him to give the guard some space. Hiccup stepped back, glancing an apologetic look to the guard.

"No. It was just circling overhead when I left. I never ran so fast in my life... I thought it would come after me for sure"

Balgruuf put his arm around the guards shoulder, leading him towards a narrow stairwell at the side of the room.

"Good work, son. We'll take it from here. Head down to the barracks for some food and rest, you've earned it. Irileth, you'd better gather some guardsmen and get down there"

"I've already ordered my men to muster near the main gate my Lord" replied Irileth

"Good. Don't fail me" Balgruuf commanded. Irileth bowed before taking out her sword, inspecting it and testing its sharpness. Balgruuf then turned to Hiccup and Thorin, "There's no time to stand on ceremony, my friends. I need your help again. I want you both to go with Irileth and help her fight this Dragon. You survived Helgen, so you have more experience with dragons then anyone else here. But I haven't forgotten the service you did for me in retrieving the Dragonstone for Farengar. As a token of my esteem, please accept these gifts from my personal armoury"

Balgruuf walked over to the most ornate of the racks, pulling two beautiful looking weapons from their stands, handing a sword to Thorin, and offering an axe to Hiccup. Hiccup took the axe from Balgruuf, and was surprised at how light it was. Brown leather wrapped around a solid oak handle. The head was carved with strange tribal patters, two huge blades extruding from either side, and a spike adorned the top of the weapon. As Hiccup held the weapon, he felt a strange aura emanate from the axe. Thorin finished admiring his own weapon, before glancing to the axe.

"The Axe of Whiterun" he exclaimed. Hiccup looked from the blade to Thorin, then back again, running his hand across the cold steel, "A famous weapon Hiccup. Treat it well, and it will not fail you"

Hiccup holstered the axe on his back. He had never held this many weapons in his life.

"I should come along. I would very much like to see this dragon" said Farengar, drawing his own sword

"No" Balgruuf interjected, standing between his wizard and the exit of the armoury "I can't afford to risk both of you. I need you here working on ways to defend the city against these dragons"

Farengar looked a little less than disappointed, sheathing his sword and bowing his head to the Jarl

"As you command"

"One last thing Irileth, this isn't a death or glory mission. I need to know what we're dealing with"

"Don't worry, my lord. I'm the very soul of caution" replied Irileth

"Good. Now all of you, go kill this dragon before it can attack Whiterun. There's no time to lose"

Irileth sprinted out of the armoury, Thorin and Hiccup struggled to keep up. The trio rushed through the front entrance of the palace, bounding down the stairs towards the village. Soldiers where ushering the locals into their homes, all of them talking in panic about the dragon sighting. Hiccups heart sank a little as they ran, seeing the terror on the face of the villagers. His mind cast back to the time when he himself had been terrified of dragons.

The sun had just set over the horizon as they reached the main gates of the city. Irileth had her guards already assembled, each of them checking and rechecking their weapons. As they approached, the men formed their ranks, standing to attention as Irileth stood before them.

"Would you call yourselves Nords if you ran from this monster, are you going to let me face this thing alone? It is more than our honour at stake here. Think of it, the first dragon seen is Skyrim since the last age. The glory of killing it is ours"

Those last words hit a nerve in Hiccup. He had never killed a dragon, he couldn't kill dragons. He knew this, he had known it since that faithful day he met Toothless for the first time. He had spent the best part of ten years teaching others that dragons could be trained, treated as equals, and become friends. How was he going to cast all that aside and fight this dragon. What choice did he have?

"SO WHAT DO YOU SAY MEN, SHALL WE GO KILL US A DRAGON?!"

The soldiers erupted into a chorus of loud cheers and claps, drawing their swords.

"Alright, let's move out" Irileth ordered, grasping her own weapon and running through the city gates. The guards followed, talking amongst themselves about the dragon and the impending fight against it. Hiccup and Thorin ran at the back of the group as they passed the stables and the farmhouse outside the city walls. Hiccup could see smoke rising in the west, and the dim light of fires. As they passed over a small crest in the road, the watchtower came into view. There wasn't a single bush or tree that was not smouldering; the ground glowed as the hot embers spread.

"Oh my gods" Hiccup couldn't believe what he was seeing, it was carnage. Images of the destruction at Helgen flashed through his mind.

"No sign of that dragon right now, but it sure looks like he's been here" said Irileth, climbing onto a nearby rock to get a better view of the destruction.

"What do we do now?" asked one of the guards, shifting nervously on his feet

"I know it looks bad, but we've got to find out what happened. Spread out and look for survivors"

The guards scattered, heading in several directions to look for any signs of life amongst the wreckage of the watchtower. Hiccup drew his axe, glancing quickly to Thorin, who drew his own weapon

"Stay alert Hiccup, that dragon may still be skulking around somewhere. If you have the chance, you have to kill it. Do you understand?"

"Thorin….I don't think I can do this" Hiccup replied

"What are you talking about?" Thorin asked, noting the expression on his brothers' face, his shoulders hung and his eyes unfocused and blank.

"I…I've never…killed a dragon…I…can't kill dragons"

Thorin stuck his sword into the ground, walking in front of Hiccup, raising his chin with his fingers. Hiccup looked directly into Thorins eyes, which were full of courage and valour.

"Listen to me Hiccup. If that dragon appears, you have to kill it. We cannot allow it to reach the city. Hundreds of people will die if we let that happen. So do not hesitate, do not linger, if the opportunity arises, you must take it"

"But why me, why can't you or one of the guards kill it?" Hiccup asked, his spirits getting worse and worse by the minute.

"Because it is not my destiny Hiccup. It is not the destiny of anyone here, save for one person. It is your destiny"

"I don't know what that means" Hiccup replied

"You will in time, but for now, stay close to me if you can" Thorin finished, grasping his sword from the ground and taking off down the slope towards the watchtower.

For a few seconds, Hiccup stayed rooted to the spot. He hated feeling this way, feeling so weak compared to others. He thought this was a feeling he could shake off as he had done many times before, but something felt different this time, something he could not put his finger on. He knew in his head that the dragon had to die, but his heart was swimming with conflict. How could he go back on everything he had learned, everything he had achieved with the dragons back on Berk. If his friend sever found out that he killed a dragon, would they ever see him the same way again.

_"__Right…well…."_ Hiccup thought to himself, gripping his axe tightly _"…here goes nothing"_. Taking a deep breath, Hiccup ran down the slope after Thorin. The heat from the fires raging around him prickled his skin; the smoke billowed into the air, dancing against the sunlight. The charred ground crunched under his boots as he got close to the tower. The other guards where running around him, shouting to one another about any survivors. Hiccup couldn't see how anyone could have survived the firestorm. But then, as he approached the walkway of the tower, he saw someone emerge from the ruins. The man had blood spattered across his face, his clothes blackened with ash. His arm hung uselessly from his shoulder, clearly dislocated or even broken.

"EVERYONE COME QUICK, I'VE FOUND A SURVIVOR!" Hiccup cried, jogging up the walkway towards the man, "Hey, don't worry, we're going to get you out of here"

"No, stay back, it's still here somewhere" replied the man. Irileth and Thorin were the first two to arrive alongside Hiccup, Thorin scanning the skies for any sign of the dragon.

"Guardsman, what happened? Where is this dragon, quickly now?" Irileth demanded.

"I don't know, Hroki and Tor just got grabbed when they tried to make a run for it"

Then, across the darkening skies, a familiar sound echoed. The faint noise grew louder and louder, a bone jangling roar that made their blood run cold. Hiccups eyes darted across the skies, desperately trying to find the source of the noise. He did not have to look far, as over the crest of the mountains, the unmistakeable outline of a dragon appeared, its wings spread wide, making a beeline for the watch tower.

"KYNARETH SAVE US, HERE HE COMES AGAIN!" The wounded guardsman cried as he ran back into the cover of the tower. Other cries and shouts came from the other guards nearby.

"TALOS SAVE US, THERE'S THE DRAGON!"

"SLAY IT, SLAY THE DRAGON!"

The beast swooped across the tower, a huge explosion of flames emanating from its jaws, the guards diving for cover behind anything they could find. Hiccup watched as the enormous creature curled back around, and sped right back towards them.

"HERE HE COMES, TAKE COVER, AND MAKE EVERY ARROW COUNT!" Irileth bellowed. The guards all drew their bows, quickly cocking their arrows and aiming them skywards. The dragon roared again as the arrows made contact, sticking into the soft flesh of its belly as it flew overhead.

"Hiccup, follow me" Thorin ordered as he began to run towards the watchtower. Hiccup quickly followed him up the walkway, passing through the stone arch entrance to the tower. A winding staircase stood before them, the injured guardsman cowering in fear beneath an oak table. Thorin bounded up the steps, pulling his bow from his back. Hiccup followed as another almighty roar sounded from the other side of the tower walls.

As they reached the top of the stairs, the dragon raced over them once more, raining flames down on the guards below. Hiccup could hear their screams of pain as the fire engulfed them. Thorin ran to the edge of the tower roof, quickly drawing an arrow and firing it at the dragon. The arrow slammed into the dragons' neck, causing it to roar in pain. Hiccup pulled his own bow from his back and cocked an arrow as well. Shooting had never been his strong point, but with lessons from Astrid, he had become more proficient with it.

The dragon dove down towards the tower, coming to a hover just in front of them. Hiccup pulled the bow string, took aim, and fired. The arrow whipped through the air, narrowly grazing the dragon across its shoulder. The dragon growled, its glowing red eyes glaring straight at Hiccup. Its throat and belly began to glow as its jaws started to open.

"GET DOWN!" cried Thorin. Hiccup dove down behind the low wall of the tower roof, getting down as low as he could as the dragons roar exploded into a fresh barrage of flame. The fire licked the top of the wall, its heat so intense; Hiccup could have sworn he felt his skin blistering.

"HOW CAN WE GET A SHOT ON IT!?" Hiccup shouted as the flames ceased

"WE NEED TO GET IT TO LAND!" Thorin yelled back

Hiccup wracked his brain. How could they git it to land? It must have a weakness. Hiccup peered through a small gap in the wall. He could see the dragon hovering in the air in front of them, waiting for even the slightest hint of movement before attacking again. The wind from the beats wings fanned the flames below, blowing embers, smoke and ash into the air. The guards had taken cover from the flames, but not all of them had been able to escape it, Hiccup could see several flaming corpses scattered across the ground.

"I HAVE AN IDEA!" Hiccup cried. Drawing another arrow from his quiver, Hiccup placed it onto his bow, paused for a few seconds, then leapt up from behind the wall. The dragon roared as it spotted the young Viking. Hiccup drew the arrow and fired, watching as it shot towards the dragon and tore through the thin membrane of the creatures' wing. The dragon roared again, flapping its wings uselessly as it began tumbling towards the ground.

"You did it Hiccup" Thorin exclaimed, firing another arrow towards the dragon, further tearing the wing. The dragon fell towards the ground, landing with an almighty thud, "If it can't fly, it should be easier to kill"

The guards all reappeared from their hiding places, shooting more and more arrows at the now grounded dragon, which roared and stomped as each arrow pieced its flesh. Thorin ran back towards the stairs leaping down them three at a time. Hiccup followed, taking extra care to not let his prosthetic slip from under him.

Hiccup and Thorin ran out of the tower, the sound of the dragons' roar still echoing around them. A group of guards stood at the bottom of the walkway, Irileth in the middle of them, her leg caked in blood.

"Irileth, are you alright?" Hiccup asked, tossing his bow to one side and kneeling down next to the housecarl.

"I'm fine. Hurry, you have to go help the others" Irileth replied, wincing as she applied pressure to the gash in her thigh. Hiccup nodded, getting back to his feet and drawing his axe. Hiccup gazed across the burning ground, and saw the dragon, biting at any of the guards that dared get to close. He began to run, slowly at first, but broke into a spring as he charged towards the fight. Thorin drew his final arrow, firing it towards the dragon. The arrow thudded into the ground in front of the dragon, which turned its head and roared towards Thorin and the guards. Hiccup sprinted towards the beats, raising the axe up into the air.

This was it, he had to do it. As he hurtled towards the dragon, he whispered to himself.

"Forgive me"

With an almighty swing, Hiccup brought the axe down hard against the dragons' neck. The blade cut into the hard flesh of the beast, striking through muscle and bone. Blood spirted from the wound, spraying the front of Hiccup clothing a dark shade of red. The dragon howled in pain, its body crumpling to the floor. Hiccup held the axe firmly in place, blood soaking the handle, before pulling hard and yanking the blade from the flesh of the dragon.

Hiccup stared straight into the dragons' eyes, once glowing red with hatred, rage and evil, but now a blank and dull glare stared straight back at him as the dragon fell still, a final breath escaping its massive jaws.

It was over, the beast was dead.

Hiccup stared at the massive corpse in front of him, the axe falling from his hands. His breathing was quick and sharp, every muscle in his body ached. After all these years, after everything he had been through with dragons, he had done something he had sworn to himself he would never do. He had killed a dragon.

Irileth and the surviving guards approached, each with their swords still drawn. Thorin walked up beside Hiccup, staring down and the dragon.

"You had to do it Hiccup, I understand your conflict, but this was a necessary evil"

Hiccup didn't respond, he just continued to stare at the creature. His eyes burned as he struggled to hold back the flood of tears that were trying to escape.

"Let's make sure that overgrown lizard is really dead. Damned good shooting, boys!" said Irileth as she began to approach the dragon. But then, something started to happen. The dragons body began to glow, first a dim orange, but then a bright white and blue. The scales of the best began to flake off, burning up in the air.

"What's happening?!" cried one of the guards, shielding his eyes from the ever brightening glow.

"Everybody get back!" Irileth shouted, holding up her arms and backing away from the dragon. Thorin also stepped away as the dragons body dissolved. But Hiccup did not move; the glow of the dragons' body lighting up his own eyes. The glow intensified, ethereal threads whipped into the air, and quickly engulfed Hiccup. Irileth stepped forward, but Thorin held up his arm, stopping her in her tracks.

Hiccup felt a strange but familiar feeling rush through his body. He felt the power building up inside him, the energy coursing through his every muscle. He gripped his fists tightly, his knuckled turning white as the blue glow engulfed him. The power grew stronger and stronger, flowing up into his throat. Hiccup looked to the sky; the words from the unusual stone he found on Berk came flooding back to him. The power exploded from him as she shouted into the dark skies;

_"__FUS"_

The force of the shout nearly knocked Hiccup onto his back, but he stood firm, the blue glow from the shout disappearing into the air. The threads from the dragons' body faded, leaving nothing but a giant skeleton where it had fallen. Hiccup breathed heavily, the power had taken a lot of energy from him, so much that he found himself completely out of breath.

And then, it was quiet. Irileth and the guards all watched the incredible scene unfold, each with the same dumbfounded expression on their faces. Thorin smiled at Hiccup as the glow finally vanished. Hiccup turned to face the group, as one of the guards stepped forward.

"I can't believe it! You're...Dragonborn..."

* * *

**Thank you everyone for your patience in me getting this chapter up, I had a severe writers block about a week ago, plus coming up to summer it gets very busy at work, thus reducing my writing time. Longest chapter I have ever written, so please comment and leave feedback. I enjoy reading what you think about my story.**

**Hiccup had finally been revealed as the Dragonborn, the first to appear since the last age. What will happen now, will he fianlly begin the journey to High Hrothgar. What will happen back on Berk, will the Berserkers invade, what does Alvin have to do with it, and how will they fight against the invaders. Stay tuned and comment.**

**Thank you all for reading.**


	18. Chapter 18 - The 7,000 Steps

"Dragonborn?" Hiccup asked, looking between each of the guards.

"In the very oldest tales, back from when there were still dragons in Skyrim, the Dragonborn was the only one who could slay dragons and absorb their power" Thorin replied, pulling his pipe from his tunic.

"Absorbed their power?" Hiccup exclaimed, "What are you talking about? How is that possible?"

"It is an incredibly rare gift. A Dragonborn hasn't been seen in Skyrim since the dawn of the last age, when the dragon war raged" Thorin continued, patting down the brown herb into his pipe, igniting it with two flint rocks he kept in his satchel.

"I still don't understand. What just happened to me?" Hiccup sat on a nearby rock, his muscles still tingled from the immense power that had surged through him. His knees felt weak, he needed a moment to rest.

"A Dragonborn is no ordinary being Hiccup. They are born with the soul of a dragon, and dragon blood flowing through their veins. It does explain many things about you brother"

Hiccup looked up at Thorin. Whilst the other guards and Irileth would not understand that reference, Hiccup immediately understood. It all made sense to him now, why he had such a rapport with dragons, how he was able to train them, the bond he shared with Toothless.

"That's right! My grandfather used to tell stories about the Dragonborn. Those born with the Dragon Blood in 'em. Like old Tiber Septim himself" said one of the guards.

"I've never heard of Tiber Septim killing any dragons" another guard added.

"There weren't any dragons then, idiot. They're just coming back now for the first time in...forever" replied the first guard, rolling his eyes with contempt.

"What do you say, Irileth? You've being awfully quiet" asked the second guard. Irileth stared straight at Hiccup, he glare passing straight through him.

"Come on, Irileth, tell us, do you believe in this Dragonborn business?" asked another guard. Irileth turned round to face the guards.

"Some of you would be better off keeping quiet than flapping your gums on matters you don't know anything about. Here's a dead dragon, and that's something I definitely understand. Now we know we can kill them" Irileth turned back to Hiccup, her glare intensifying on him, "But I don't need some mythical Dragonborn. Someone who can put down a dragon is more than enough for me"

"You wouldn't understand, Housecarl. You aren't a Nord" interjected a third guard. Irileth spun round to face him, her face etched in fury at the show of disrespect from the guard.

"I would not antagonise her" Thorin said calmly, taking a long drag from his pipe.

"I've been all across Tamriel" Irileth snapped back at the guard, "I've seen plenty of things just as outlandish as this. I'd advise you all to trust in the strength of your sword over tales and legends"

The guard quickly backed down, not wanting to invoke the anger of the Housecarl any further. Irileth turned back to Hiccup and Thorin.

"That was the hairiest fight I've ever been in, and I've been in more than a few. I don't know about this Dragonborn business, but I'm sure glad you're with us. You better get back to Whiterun right away. Jarl Balgruuf will want to know what happened here"

"Then let's not waste anytime then" Thorin replied, extinguishing his pipe and patting the contents to the floor. Wrapping his arm round Hiccup, Thorin helped his to his feet. Hiccup still felt a little wobbly as he stood. Slowly, Thorin began to lead Hiccup away from the dragon skeleton.

"The rest of you, gather the dead. We must return them to their families" Irileth cried to the remaining guards. The words struck a chord in Hiccups heart. More men had died, more innocents slaughtered. More blood stained his hands.

A sudden crack of lightning startled the brothers as they walked. Dark clouds gathered across the skies, lightning bolts shot down from the heavens.

"What's happening?" Hiccup asked in shock

"Listen closely" Thorin replied, his gaze not leaving the ever darkening skies. Hiccup stared at the storm raging above; a low rumble began to shake the ground beneath them. The rumbling grew stronger and stronger. Hiccup struggled to stay on his feet, leaning his weight against Thorin just to stay upright. An almighty thunder clap resonated across the skies, and Hiccup heard a voice call out in the darkness.

_"__DOVAHKIIN!"_

The skies quickly went quiet, the clouds disappeared and the lighting ceased.

"What was that?" Hiccup asked

"It was the Greybeards, they are summoning us to High Hrothgar" Thorin replied as they continued walking back to the city.

"What? Explain?" Hiccup asked again, but Thorin did not reply. The pair walked in silence back to the city gates, the locals already talking in a buzz about the dragon attack.

"The dragon fell; I saw it from the city walls"

"Amazing, the city is safe again"

"But for how long? Who knows when another dragon will appear?"

Thorin and Hiccup passed through the town square, keeping their heads low to not attract any more attention to themselves. As they climbed the steps towards Dragonsreach, Proventus stood at the top waiting for them.

"Good. You're finally here. The Jarl's been waiting for you; the whole city is talking about the dragon attack"

Thorin and Hiccup walked straight past Proventus, not even bothering to exchange formalities. The door of the palace swung open as the approached. They could see Balgruuf pacing back and forth in front of his throne. The Jarl heard the clunk of Hiccups prosthetic on the floor as the approached.

"So what happened at the watchtower? Was the dragon there?" The Jarl asked anxiously. Thorin helped Hiccup to a nearby chair, lowering him down gently before addressing the Jarl.

"The watchtower was destroyed my lord, but we killed the dragon"

"I knew I could count on Irileth" Balgruuf exclaimed happily, clapping his hands together in glee, "There's no question about it, it was a mighty deed. You've earned a place of honour among the heroes of Whiterun" Others around the palace cheered and clapped as well upon hearing the news of the dragons demise, "But there must be more to it than that. Did something...strange...happen when the dragon died?" Balgruuf added, his manner becoming serious once more.

"Yes my Lord, there is. We believe that a Dragonborn has come forth"

The entire palace went deathly quiet. Balgruuf stared at Thorin, not able to believe what he had just heard. Hiccup watched as the Jarl staggered back into his throne.

"A…Dragonborn…" Balgruuf stammered, rubbing his forehead with his hand, "…What do you know about the Dragonborn?"

"I know enough" Thorin replied

"Who is it? Balgruuf asked. Thorin stepped aside and looked to Hiccup. Balgruuf stared at Hiccup in shock.

"You?" The jarl asked in utter astonishment, "You're the Dragonborn?"

"That is what the men called me" Hiccup replied in a dull tone.

"Not just the men, but the Greybeards as well" Thorin added. Balgruuf sat back in his chair, staring at the ceiling in disbelief.

"So it's true. The Greybeards really were summoning you"

"We all heard the thundering sound as you returned to Whiterun? This hasn't happened in centuries, at least Not since Tiber Septim himself was summoned when he was still Talos of Atmora!" exclaimed one very excited guard.

"Hrongar, calm yourself" Proventus intruded, "What does any of this Nord nonsense have to do with our friend here? Capable as he may be, I don't see any signs of him being this, what, Dragonborn."

"Nord nonsense?" Hrongar spat angrily at Proventus, "Why you puffed-up ignorant...these are our sacred traditions that go back to the founding of the First Empire!"

"I meant no disrespect, of course" Proventus replied, bowing slightly to the angered guard, "It's just that...what do these Greybeards want with him?"

"That is not your concern" Thorin said firmly.

"Yes Proventus, That's the Greybeards' business, not ours" Balgruuf affixed.

"Forgive me my lord" Balgruuf bowed to the Jarl.

"Whatever happened when you killed that dragon…" said Balgruuf, speaking directly to Hiccup now, "…it revealed something in you, and the Greybeards heard it. If they think you're Dragonborn, who are we to argue? You'd better get up to High Hrothgar immediately. There's no refusing the summons of the Greybeards. It is a tremendous honour"

"We will leave as soon as the light permits us my lord. I do not deem it wise to travel the road to Ivarstead at night. I hear it is crawling with Bandits these days" said Thorin

"This is true. Ah to climb the 7,000 Steps again...I made the pilgrimage once; High Hrothgar is a very peaceful place. Very...disconnected from the troubles of this world. I wonder if the Greybeards even notice what's going on down here. They haven't seemed to care before. No matter. Go to High Hrothgar. Learn what the Greybeards can teach you"

Hiccup nodded weakly, still not possessing enough energy to enquire further.

"I…I need to rest" Hiccup asked to Thorin.

"Of course Hiccup, I will awake you when we are set to leave"

Hiccup smiled at his brother, getting up from his seat and headed toward the barracks below the palace.

"You've done a great service to me and my city, Dragonborn" Balgruuf called after him. Hiccup stopped and turned back to face Balgruuf, who was smiling widely, "By my right as Jarl, I name you Thane of Whiterun. It's the greatest honour that's within my power to grant. I will notify my guards of your new title. Wouldn't want them to think you're part of the common rabble, now would we? We are honoured to have you as Thane of our city, Dragonborn"

Hiccup smiled back to the Jarl before continuing towards the barracks, his ears picking up the last few words between Balgruuf, Thorin and Proventus.

"Back to business Proventus, we still have a city to defend"

* * *

Astrid arrived at the Healers hut, jumping of Stormfly and walking briskly to the door, rasping three times on the oak with her knuckles. After a few seconds, the door swung open.

"Astrid, please come in" said Elina, standing aside to allow Astrid inside.

"Where is he, I need to speak with him?" Astrid asked hastily.

"He is resting in the other room. I must warn you Astrid, he is very weak, the Berserkers must have put him through a lot of pain"

"I must speak with him now, it is urgent" Astrid repeated. Elina was not keen on letting her patient be disturbed, but the look on Astrid face showed her that it was indeed urgent. Standing aside, Elina directed her hand towards a door way at the far side of the hut. Astrid walked over to it, griped the handle and slowly pushed the door open.

Alvin was lying on the bed, his eyes closed and his breathing gentle, quite the contrary to the fearsome warrior Astrid remembered him for. His arms and were legs covered in bandages, cuts spread across his face, still raw but no longer bleeding thanks to Elina's ointments. A small fire crackled in the fire place, filling the room with enough warmth to make it comfortable. Astrid quietly pulled a chair over to the bedside. Alvin stirred slightly as the chair scrapped the floor boards, his eyes fluttering open as Astrid took a seat.

"Astrid…..forgive me" he whispered, still struggling to get his words to formulate.

"What happened to you Alvin? What are the Berserkers planning?" Astrid asked, leaning forward and resting her forearms on her knees.

I….was fishing….a few miles of the shore….of Outcast Island...same as every other day….they ambushed us….killed my men….and took me captive…." Alvin began, talking low breaths between each sentence.

"Alvin, I know you are weak, but please, I need to know what the Berserkers are planning" Astrid asked. She normally wouldn't be this blunt with anyone recovering from injury, but this was not normal circumstances. If the Berserkers wanted war, she needed Alvin to talk and tell her everything he knew.

"….They….they thought….I was aiding the Hooligans…." Alvin replied, "….They….destroyed our ships….murdered my men….and….they killed….my son" A single tear rolled down Alvin's cheek. Astrid reached out her hand, placing it gently over his.

"I'm sorry" she said quietly, almost a whisper.

"My son….my son…." Alvin repeated, the tears now flowing free. Astrid struggled to hold back her own tears. She had no idea what it would be like to lose a child, but she could see from the painful and anguished look on Alvin's face that his heart was broken and his spirit failing. Alvin took a deep breath, exhaling quietly as the tears ceased.

"….They took me prisoner….tortured me for days….I told them nothing…."

"Thank you" Astrid replied, her hand still resting on his

"….There….there was a scroll….an….older scroll…."

"The Elder Scroll?" Astrid asked, her attention peaked as she remembered the description that Thorin had given her.

"….Yes….and….something else…."

"What was it?" Astrid asked, nudging her seat closer to the bed side. Alvin didn't reply, he just swallowed tickly, his throat gurgling his eyes fluttering between open and closed. Astrid moved closer, her eyes locked on Alvin, "What was it?"

"….it….was….a…." Alvin began, but his speech trailed off.

"Alvin?"

"….a map…." Alvin finally finished. Astrid felt the pit of her stomach twisting.

"A map?" she asked, her voice shaking in fear

"….to Skyrim…." Alvin finally finished. Astrid leapt from her chair, almost sprinting towards the door. She burst through it, nearly causing Elina to drop the tray of soup and bread she was carrying.

"Astrid, what in the world is going on?" Elina exclaimed in shock.

"The Berserkers know where Hiccup has gone, that's why Dagur wasn't here!" Astrid barked as she continued her march towards the front door, not even bothering to listen to the now fading voice of Elina as she descended the steps from the hut.

She ran as fast as she could through the village, her muscles aching and her heart racing. Stormfly bounded along behind her rider, followed closely by Toothless. Astrid could hear people shouting to her, but she paid them no head. She sprinted towards the great hall, bounding up the steps three at a time. Thankfully the large wooden doors to the hall where already open as she ran through them. The council members where gathered around the table, each of them looking up as they heard her approaching footsteps, surrounded by Companion soldiers.

"Astrid, what's wrong?" asked Valka. Astrid stopped at the edge of the table, taking short sharp breaths to get some air into her burning lungs.

"The Berserkers!" Astrid blurted out.

"Uh, yeah we know, they're anchored off shore" Ruffnut smirked.

"Even we knew that" Tuffnut chuckled

"Shut up you two!" barked Gobber, receiving a disgruntled huff rom the twins, "Astrid, calm down, take a breath"

Astrid inhaled through her nose, and exhaled slowly though her mouth. In her panic, she hadn't realised that she had been holding her breath since she got into the hall.

"The Berserkers, they know about Hiccup, they know where he is"

"What?" exclaimed Valka, jumping to her feet, nearly knocking over the bench she had been sat on.

"How could they possibly know where Hiccup is?" asked Spitelout

"They found a map, Alvin told me about it" Astrid replied, pacing back and forth at the head of the table.

"So that's why Dagur wasn't here? He's gone after Hiccup?" asked Fishlegs

"Where else would he be? I told you all it was a bad idea to let Hiccup leave" Snotlout scowled

"What are we going to do?" Fishlegs asked

"I say we sail out a sink those Berserker ships right now, send them all to the bottom of the sea!" cried Snotlout, drawing his axe and slamming it down hard on the table, knocking over several water goblets, spilling the liquid across the tables and onto the floor. Valka and Gobber had to step back to avoid being soaked.

"Snotlout, calm down, we can't be rash about this" said Spitelout, placing his hand on his sons shoulder.

"CALM DOWN! WE HAVE BERSERKERS ON OUR SHORE, AND PHYSCOPATH GOING AFTER OUR CHIEF, AND YOU WANT ME TO CALM DOWN!" Snotlout roared, slapping his father's hand away.

"DON'T YOU DARE SPEAK TO ME LIKE THAT!" Spitelout roared back, squaring up to his son, a murderous expression spread across his face. Snotlout glared back at his father, not flinching or backing down. It was the honour of a Viking to never back down from a fight. Only a sharp tug on the collar from Gobber stopped the two Vikings from coming to blows.

"ENOUGH!" Gobber bellowed, pushing the father and son apart from each other, "Can't you see we have bigger problems to deal with here, so put a cork in it before I put one in for you"

Spitelout glared at his son, before turning back to his chair. Snotlout stood defiant, his fists clenched tightly.

"Right, now that we have that little incident out of the way, we need a plan?" Valka continued, "Does anyone have an idea?"

"We need to get a hold of that map. If the Berserkers still have it, we can find it, find out where he is and get a message to Hiccup and warn him" Gobber interjected.

"What about these guys?" asked Tuffnut, pointing over his shoulder at the Companion soldiers, "Can't they tell us how to get to Skyrim?"

One of the soldiers stepped forward, bowing to a knee as he approached the table.

"I am sorry, but Skyrim is difficult to find, even with a map. Without one, the fog and currents make it almost impossible to get there" the Soldier said apologetically.

"So, how do we get that map then?" Astrid asked, still pacing around the head of the table.

"My guess is that the Berserkers are storing it on one of their ships" replied the soldier

"So if we sneak up to it under the cover of night, we can get aboard and find it" Spitelout commented.

"But there are 15 ships out there, how do we know which one has the map, or if the map is on board at all?" Snotlout asked, his glare still focused on his father.

"That's a chance we will have to take" Gobber replied, getting up from his seat, "I'll go down to the docks and prepare a boat for us. As soon as the sun sets, we'll head out"

"I'll come with you, I need to swing past home and feed Meatlug anyway" Fishlegs added, jumping up from his seat and following Gobber out of the hall.

"Right, we still need to summon the other chiefs" Astrid continued, her tension easing slightly as their plans began to take shape. She had managed to stop pacing and rested herself on the edge of the table.

"Do you think they will help us?" Valka asked

"I don't see why not" Astrid shrugged, taking a seat at the head of the table, "If the Berserkers want war, it won't stop with Berk. The other chiefs will want to know about this"

"You're right. Snotlout, head down to the Terrible Terror paddock, get those messages sent out immediately" Valka ordered. But Snotlout didn't move, not even the smallest budge. The burly Viking remained rooted to the spot.

"Snotlout, did you not hear her? Get down to the paddocks" Spitelout ordered. Astrid watched as father and son glared at each other. She knew they had a bit of a rocky relationship, but she had never seen that look on either of their faces. It looked like they were just about ready to kill each other. After a few very awkward seconds, Snotlout angrily grabbed his axe from the table, slammed it back into its holder on his waist and stormed towards the doors of the hall. The group watched the seething Viking push open the great wooden doors, before violently slamming them behind him.

"We have to do something about him" Valka said to Spitelout.

"I know, but what can we do? He is so stubborn and hot headed, never thinking anything through, and just going with his gut instinct all the time. He means well, but his plans are crazy. They will put us all at risk"

"We are already at risk, you need to speak with him" Astrid added. Spitelout nodded before rising from his seat and heading for the doors.

"Wow, that is one conversation I'm glad I'm not going to be a part of" Astrid sighed.

"I know what you mean. Those two make a pair of rutting Rumblehorns look like a civil affair" Valka chuckled.

"Okay, so what do we do now?" asked Ruffnut. Astrid had almost forgotten the twins were still there.

"Now…we get ready. Grab your weapons; we've got a map to find"

* * *

_The giant dragon leered over him, row after row of razor sharp teeth, claws like meat hooks digging into his flesh. His back was pressing so hard into the ground from the immense weight on his chest, he was sure his spine was going to snap at any second. His lungs were being compressed so much, that no air could get in and out of them. He couldn't breathe, and no matter how much he struggled, he couldn't escape the clutches of the beast._

_No one was coming to save him; they couldn't, because they were all dead. Blood soaked the ground all around him, chaos and destruction strew as far as he could see. The corpses of his friends lay stricken in the growing darkness. They had tried to save him, and now because of him, they were dead. His eyes flicked from one body to another, tears flowing freely._

_This was his fault. He had caused this. The blood of everyone he loved was on his hands. He could have stopped this, he should have stopped this. Staring into the creatures' eyes, his own vision beginning to fade, the young man knew this was the end; there was nothing he could do now. The dragon opened its jaws, and with an almighty roar, everything went black._

"NNNOOOOO!"

Hiccup smashed his forehead against the wooden beam of the bunk above him as he sprang upright, almost falling out of his bed in the process. The throbbing pain, coupled with the horrible vision of the dragon and the bodies of his friends lying around him etched on his mind, made his head pound. The bed sheets where once again bathed in sweat, his hair stuck to his forehead, the flask of water at his bedside now lay strewn across the floor. Hiccup slowly laid back onto the mattress, burying his head in his hands, massaging his temple to try and relieve some of the pain

"Gods dammit, I hate this, the nightmares, why won't they just stop?"

It wasn't like he wasn't used to bad dreams. He had suffered from them for years, even before the death of Stoick. But now, they seemed to plague him every other night, each one worse than the last. He was exhausted.

Hiccup tiled his head towards the window. Dark grey clouds covered the sky, a light rain fell, soaking the ground. Small rumbles of thunder sounded in the distance, the occasional flash of lightning briefly brightened the dark skies. Looking around him, he saw that the barracks were completely empty. Hiccup figured that all the soldiers must have already left for their patrol, and with the frenzy about the dragon attack reaching a fever pitch, he wasn't surprised.

Hiccup slowly climbed out of the bed, pulled on his brown britches and walked towards the window. A cold breeze blew across his skin as the rain continued to fall. Hiccup could see more guards patrolling the walls than he had seen the previous day, confirming his theory that Balgruuf had stationed more men around the city. The locals bustled around the city square, running between shelters to avoid being soaked by the weather. Off in the distance, Hiccup could see the mountains reaching high into the clouds.

"The Throat of the World" he said quietly to himself. He remembered how Thorin had told him that High Hrothgar was located at the peak of the mountain, the highest mountain in Skyrim, so they would have to climb it to reach the old fortress, and it look like quiet a climb. Backing away from the window, Hiccup grabbed a towel from the rock by his bed and headed to the wash room.

Jarl Balgruuf took great pride in his palace. He enjoyed boasting about the modern innovations he had designed for the palace, including the washrooms, where a series of funnels collected rain water, passed them through into large collection pots which were heated by large fires below them. Then, when someone wanted to wash, a special level system would funnel that water down to the washroom. Hiccup had heard Balgruuf boast about it the night before whilst talking to his men, he called it a 'shower'

Hiccup walked into the deserted washroom; found the closest 'shower' and pulled the lever. He heard some pipes rattle above him, before the warm water began to flow out from above him. Hiccup hung the towel on a nearby peg and stepped under the water. The warmth rushed over him in a matter of moments, his muscles instantly relaxing and the pain in his head easing. Hiccup brushed his hands through his wet hair, the warm water splashing his face.

After a few minutes, the flow of water ceased. Hiccup whipped the water from his hair before grabbing his towel, quickly drying the rest of his body. Wrapping the towel around his shoulders, Hiccup made his way back towards the barracks.

"Enjoy your wash?"

Hiccup looked towards the direction the voice had come from. Thorin was leaning against a doorway at the far end of the barracks, his trademark pipe in his hand.

"Yeah, it's pretty cool the way they have built those washrooms" Hiccup replied, rubbing the towel through his hair.

"Balgruuf has always been one for innovation. Anyway, hurry up and get dressed, we will be leaving soon"

Hiccup nodded as Thorin exited the room. Hiccup quickly pulled on his shirt, and picked up a new blue overcoat that had been left on the chair by his bed, wrapping the light fabric wrapped around his waist, tying it off at the back and pulling the hood up over his head. Hiccup picked up his bag and headed towards the exit. As usual, the large fire was roaring in the centre of the palace, the warmth from the flames spread across the room. As Hiccup walked through the palace, he could see people talking in hushed voices, pointing discreetly at him. He guessed the hullabaloo about this whole 'Dragonborn' thing was something he would have to get used to.

As he exited the palace, Thorin was waiting at the top of the steps for him. The brothers walked quietly together through the city. Every villager they passed stared at Hiccup. All this attention was beginning to make him feel uneasy. The rain continued to fall, but the hood of his coat kept his head dry. A few minutes later, the pair arrived at the stables. Two horses waited form them; bags of supplies laid either side of the saddles.

"Let's go" said Thorin, pulling himself onto his mount. Hiccup quickly followed suit, and with a light kick, the horses trotted away from the stables. Hiccup looked back over his shoulder as the skyline of Whiterun shrunk farther and farther into the distance, before the turned a corner and the base of the mountain, into a thick line of pine trees.

"So, are we going straight to High Hrothgar?" Hiccup asked, brushing a few low handing braches aside as they continued to ride along the path. The rain combined with the pine trees gave off a sweet scent, and Hiccup enjoyed it immensely, far more than the horrible stenches of the Helgen Caverns or Bleak Falls Barrow.

"No, we have to pass through the village of Ivarstead first, it is there that the 7,000 steps begin" Thorin replied.

"Ivarstead? That's where you've been living isn't it; you introduced yourself to those guards at the checkpoint before Helgen as 'Thorin of Ivarstead'"

"Yes, after my first journey up the 7,000 steps and my first meeting with the Greybeards, I settled I Ivarstead. It is at the heart of Skyrim, right between the cities of Solitude in the north, Windhelm in the east, Markarth in the West and Riften in the South"

"Sounds like a big place" Hiccup suggested.

"Actually it is very quaint, no larger than Riverwood" Thorin shrugged, "It is the best place to rest that I have found here. That's why I settled there?"

There was one question that Hiccup had been itching to ask Thorin, it had weighted in the back of his mind ever since Thorin told them the story of how he ended up in Skyrim.

"So…could you have…you know…come home?" Hiccup asked carefully. Thorin looked from his brother, his eyes drifting to the ground then up into the still dark skies.

"I wanted to, truthfully I did, but there was no way to return. As I explained before, no map of the world as large as the ones today existed all those years ago. If there had, I would have returned"

"What about…what about when I go back to Berk after all this? Will you…come with me?" Hiccup asked.

"We will see brother, but right now let's get to Ivarst…" Thorin trailed off his sentence, bringing his mount to a halt. Hiccup pulled up alongside him. Thorin narrowed his eyes, scanning the dense forest around them.

"Thorin…what is it?" Hiccup asked, looking into the trees, but he couldn't see anything. Thorin slowly reached towards his belt, gently placing his hand on the hilt of his sword.

"We're being watched" Thorin replied quietly, drawing his sword from his holster and sliding off his saddle to the ground, landing gently in the thin layer of snow on the ground. Hiccup reached back and drew his own sword, climbing down from his horse and standing beside his brother. The forest was quiet, no birds chirping, not deer bounding through the trees.

"What's happening?" Hiccup whispered, careful not to raise his voice and alert anything that may have been lurking in the darkness of the trees.

"Oh I think I can answer that" came a voice from behind them. Hiccup span around, his blood running cold as he gripped the hilt of his sword, instantly recognising the familiar voice, spiked helmet, war paint and evil smile.

"Dagur?"

"Well hello Hiccup" Dagur cackled sarcastically. The Berserker soldiers gathered behind him, each with their swords and axes drawn, "How could you leave Berk without saying a proper goodbye"

"How…how did you find me?" Hiccup asked in astonishment. Dagur began to step towards them, but quickly stopped as Hiccup pointed his sword at the chest of crazed Berserker. Thorin drew his bow, quickly cocking an arrow and took aim as well. Dagur scowled at the pair pointing their weapons at him.

"Oh Hiccup, you really should work on your manners. It isn't very polite to point your weapon at a dear old friend" Dagur smirked, the evil smile spread across his features once more. Hiccup shifted nervously on the spot.

"What do you want?!" Thorin asked bluntly. Dagur turned his attention to Thorin, his eyes looking up and down the older Viking. Suddenly, Dagur's eyes grew wide, the narrowed into a deathly stare.

"You…you're the one who destroyed my ships…you ruined my plans…I'LL KILL YOU!" Dagur roared. Thorin tightened the string on his bow, his arrow still aimed directly at the irate Berserker. Dagur gripped his fists tightly, his teeth gritted, his breathing fast and angry.

"Stay back Dagur…I'm…I'm warning you…stay back" Hiccup stammered, shifting his sword in his grip, keeping the blade directed towards Dagur.

"IF IT'S THE LAST THING I DO, I WILL KILL YOU BOTH FOR WHAT YOU DID!" Dagur bellowed, spitting his words in utter rage and anger.

"Go ahead and try" Thorin smirked.

"HOW DARE YOU SPEAK TO ME LIKE THAT, DON'T YOU KNOW WHO I AM?!" Dagur screamed.

"Oh I know exactly who you are Dagur the Deranged, you haven't changed at all in 20 years"

Dagur continued to stare at Thorin, but with an added confusion to go along with his anger. He eyed Thorin from head to toe, before his expression changed again, right back to the same evil smirk that made Hiccup's blood run cold.

"Well well, the long lost son of Stoick the Vast returns. What was your name…Thorin…yes that's it, so you are alive after all"

"Are you surprised?" Thorin asked

"Not really…you always where an annoying little beggar" Dagur snarled, finally taking a step back. Hiccup however, didn't lower his sword, "But I digress"

"How did you find me?" Hiccup asked.

"Oh it was easy really; one of your dunderhead soldiers dropped a map when you blew up my great hall…" Hiccup looked to Thorin, who simply shrugged, keeping his arrow pointed straight at Dagur, "…so we simply followed you, met a few friends of your along the way, some names…Elisif…did I say that right?" Dagur sneered. Thorin narrowed his eyes at Dagur, pulling his bow even tighter.

"If you did anything to harm her…" Thorin spat.

"Oh don't get so angry Thorin, she is safe. Her guards on the other hand…not so much". Thorin glared at Dagur, a fire raging in his chest. Hiccup noticed the look of utter distain on his brothers' face. He had never seen Thorin so angry in all the time he had known him, "And then we bumped into another friend of yours…I think you know her…"

Dagur clicked his fingers, prompting one of his men to march forward, dragging something behind him. Hiccup watched as the soldier approached, flinging his arm forward, hurling what he had been dragging to the ground. A young woman, her face covered in cuts and bruises, blood stained her clothes, her skin dirty and ravaged. Hiccup stared at the girl, and her mahogany hair.

"Imogen?" Hiccup gasped, lowering his sword slight. The large Berserker soldier violently yanked back on Imogen's hair. Imogen stared at Hiccup and Thorin, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Please…please stop…" she whimpered. The Berserker soldier tugged at her hair again, pulling a knife from his belt with his free hand, pressing the cold blade against the skin of her neck.

"LET HER GO DAGUR YOU BASTARD, SHE IS NO PART OF THIS!" Thorin bellowed. Dagur just laughed in response.

"I will let her go, if you follow my instructions to the letter"

Hiccup could feel his own anger bellowing up inside him. Dagur was a sick human being, punishing innocent women just to get to him.

"What do you want Dagur?" Hiccup asked again

"First, I want you to lower your weapons" Dagur sneered. Hiccup and Thorin looked at one another. Thorin gave his brother a small nod before lowering his bow. Hiccup slowly lowered his sword. Dagur's face broke into a sickly smile.

"Fine, we lowered our weapons, now let her go" Hiccup demanded.

"Not just yet. You are coming with me, back to Berserker Island, where we will…take care of you"

"What? No way" Hiccup replied defiantly. Dagur's smile rapidly faded, replaced by his all too familiar scowl.

"You will do as I say, or this girl's blood will be on your hands"

The Berserker soldier pressed the blade harder into Imogen's neck. Hiccup could see small beads of blood seeping from her skin.

**_"_****_FUS RO DAH!"_**

The bright blue glow shattered the dingy darkness of the forest. Hiccup slammed to the floor, covering his ears to escape the noise. Dagur flew backwards, screaming in incredulity as she slammed back first into a nearby tree. His soldiers tumbled backwards as well, sliding across the floor into bushed and the other shrubs. The two horses neighed and stomped as the noise and glow grew louder and more intense. Hiccup opened his eyes slightly, the intensity of the glow hurting his pupils. He could just make out Thorins shadow on the ground.

**_"_****_YOL TOOR SHUL!"_**

The blue glow was quickly replaced with an intense heat and red glow. Hiccup opened his eyes, and he could hardly believe what he was seeing. Flames shot from Thorins mouth, a giant fire wall now standing between them and the Berserkers. Thorin ran forward, bent down and picked up Imogen in his arms and almost throwing her onto the back on his horse.

"HICCUP, LET'S GO!" Thorin cried, grabbing his bow off the ground and leaping onto his horse.

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!" Hiccup shouted above the noise of the now raging fire.

"LET'S GO!" Thorin cried again, digging his heels into the flank of his horse as they bolted down the road. Hiccup scrambled to his feet, climbed aboard his mount and sped off after Thorin.

* * *

The stars glistened in the night sky, reflecting across the calm stillness of the ocean. The moon shone brightly, casting a cold glow on the water. Thankfully the sea was calm that night, limited the amount of noise from the chopping water on the hull of the row boats. Astrid crouched down low inside the boat, being extra careful not to make too much noise or disturb the waters as her oar cut into sea. Normally, she would have suggested taking the dragons, but they couldn't risk being caught.

Astrid looked at Gobber, who sat next to her with the other oar, being just as careful as she was. Across the water, she could see Valka and Fishlegs in their boat, the twins in theirs and Snotlout and Spitelout in the fourth. The Berserker fleet was now only a few hundred yards away, a few lanterns hung on the decks, but Astrid couldn't see any soldiers patrolling.

"That's weird, I don't see any guards" Astrid whispered. Gobber looked up at the ships, the same worried expression across his face told Astrid he was thinking the same thing.

"We can't worry about that now. If that map is anywhere, it'll be their flag ship, we'll start there"

Astrid nodded as they drew closer and closer to the Berserker ships. She had never seen one up close, but now she was moving towards them, she couldn't help but feel slightly nervous. These ships were so much larger than any of the ships the Hooligans had built, and were much more heavily armed. Astrid had never seen so many guns in one place.

The hulls of the ships now loomed over them, blocking out the bright moon light. Astrid couldn't see the stars anymore, just the hulking black wood and cold metal of the cannons above. The boat passed silently across the water, small ripples lapping against the hull. Astrid could see the flag ship in the distance, whilst not as large as Dagur's ship; it was still a massive vessel, the giant purple sails and flags fluttered lightly in the sea breeze.

Astrid and Gobber cautiously moved their boat towards the anchor chain of the ship, Gobber reaching out and grabbing the chain before the boat could clank into it. Using the oars, Astrid slowly moved the boat to the hull of the ship ladder.

"Let's go" she whispered, grabbing the bottom rung of the ladder and pulling herself up. Gobber quickly tied to boat to the hull of the ship and followed Astrid up the ladder. As she reached the top, Astrid peaked over the guard rail. There were no guards, but she spotted a large array of horrible looking dragon traps littered across the deck. The sight of the dastardly machines made her stomach turn.

Astrid pulled herself over the guard rail, lowering down gently on the wooden boards. Crouching down low, she made her way towards the large ornate doors below the bridge. Dragon skulls ordained the door handles, making her feel so weird she didn't really want to touch them, but they had to find that map. Cringing and looking away as he hand touched the skull handle, Astrid slowly opened the door.

The cabin appeared more like a murky lair than the grand cabin of a sip. Dripping candles cast a dim light across the floors. A nightmarish painting of dead men writhing in flames, being tortured by the evil characters of Hel stained the glass window, making the cabin look completely fiendish. Potions, poisons and all sorts of dark paraphernalia were placed in many points in the cabin, and a large table stood below the window, covered in all sorts of papers and parchment scarps.

Astrid approached the table, stepping over empty mead bottles and broken plates scattered across the filthy floor. She started to rustle through the papers, quickly scanning each one for any markings that the Companion soldiers had told her to search for. Map after map she poured through, but none of them had any of the symbols.

The map wasn't there.

"Right I'm out of here, this place is creepy" Astrid muttered to herself as she turned to leave, but as she did, the doors of the cabin slammed closed, blowing out several of the candles, plunging the cabin into almost complete darkness. Astrid felt her blood run cold, her breathing became shallow and fast as panic began to set it. She yanked on the handle of the door, but the solid oak would not budge. Grasping the handle with both her hands, Astrid yanked harder and harder, but again, the doors remained locked tight.

"Come…on…open…up…" Astrid groaned as she pulled so hard on the handle she was sure it was about to break. But it was no good; the door wasn't going to open. Giving up on the handle, Astrid scanned the room, desperately looking for another way out. The only way her terrified brain could think now was out of the window. Astrid looked at the grotesque images on the glass, her stomach in more knots than ever. She pushed the window open; the gentle sea breeze wisped the hair of her brow as she climbed onto the balcony outside.

"Gobber…..Gobber" Astrid whispered, hoping to hear the burly Viking tell her where he was, but was met by nothing but the sound of the ocean. Astrid crept along the balcony, making as little noise as possible as the wooden boards creaked slightly under her boots. As she rounded the corner, she couldn't see Gobber waiting for her; in fact she couldn't see anyone.

But then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw it, and her blood ran cold.

Gobber was kneeling on the deck of the ship, his hands bound behind his back, blood trickling from his mouth. Three hulking Berserker soldiers stood behind him, their swords drawn and pointing straight at Gobbers back. Astrid thought about reaching for her own weapon, but she knew she couldn't fight them off on her own, and she certainly didn't want to put Gobbers life in danger. From behind the three soldiers, the Lieutenant who had landed on the beach earlier that day sauntered onto the deck, a devilish smile across his face.

"You know, I expected you to try and infiltrate my fleet…" said the Lieutenant, wagging his finger in an incredibly condescending and mocking fashion, "…I just thought you might have a better plan than this"

"Shut up and let him go" Astrid demanded.

"Ohhhh, Lord Dagur was right, she has got fight in her" the Lieutenant chuckled along with the three other soldiers. Gobber raised his head slightly, locking eyes with Astrid.

"Don't make me ask again, let him go or…" Astrid asked again in a firm tone, before silencing herself as one of the soldiers pressed the tip of his sword against Gobbers temple, making the larger Viking wince.

"Don't think I don't know why you are here" the Lieutenant replied, taking the conversation on a complete tangent, "You're after that map we used to track your idiot boyfriend"

"Yes…where is it?" Astrid asked, her voice deadpanned so it didn't look like she was threatening them. She couldn't afford for them to lose their cool and hurt Gobber.

"We don't have it" the Lieutenant smirked.

"What?" Astrid replied in shock.

"Lord Dagur figured that if that map fell into your hands, you could go and help Hiccup yourselves. So to make sure that didn't happen, we burnt it"

Astrid's fear suddenly began to turn to anger. They had taken away the one chance she had to find Hiccup and warn him about the war, now she had nothing, no way of helping the one she loved.

"Now if you and your…friend here…" the Lieutenant kicked Gobber to the ground, the Viking grunting as he hit the hard wooden boards, "…would be kind enough to get off my ship, we have a war to prepare for. Oh and by the way, you only have 13 days left"

* * *

The trees began to thin as Hiccup sped through the forest, the low hanging branches scratching at his skin. He could feel his heart pounding against his ribs like a drum as his horse rocketed down the path, kicking up dust and dirt in its wake. He could still hear Dagur's enraged cries echoing through the woods. Thorin rode in front; Imogen slumped behind him on the back of their horse. The brothers continued to ride fast and hard until they finally broke free of the forest, a small town appearing on the horizon.

"IS THAT IVARSTEAD?!" Hiccup shouted, but either Thorin couldn't hear it, or was ignoring him as he continued to pound down the road. As the village drew closer, Hiccup could start to make out a few of buildings. It looked like a farm, a mill, and vegetable hut and a couple of stone houses. Hiccup looked towards the river, and the giant mountain looming over them.

Thorin came to an abrupt halt as the pulled up to the nearest house through the village gates, leapt from his horse and gently lowered Imogen down into his arms. Hiccup stopped alongside and quickly dismounted. Thorin carried Imogen up the steps to the front door of the hut, kicking the base of the door to draw the attention of the occupants. After a few moments, a petit older woman answered the door, a long grey gown draping across the floor, her hair a similar colour to Imogen's if not a little more aged. The smile on her face quickly faded as she laid her eyes upon the scene on her doorstep.

"Thorin, what the…by the gods what happened to my baby girl?!" the women cried, tears rapidly beginning to flow.

"She needs medicine; we have to get her inside!" Thorin quipped as Imogen moaned and groaned in pain in his grasp.

"Quickly, bring her in!" the woman ushered, stepping aside to let Thorin pass by. Hiccup stood at the base of the steps as the front door of the hut slammed shut.

"Huh…okay…" Hiccup said to himself, not quite sure what he was supposed to do "…I guess I could take a look around"

Hiccup tied his horse reigns to a nearby post, pulled a carrot from a nearby vegetable basked at gave the treat to his mount. The horse gratefully wolfed down the treat, nudging Hiccups arm in affection. Hiccup smiled as memories of Toothless nuzzling against him sent arm feeling through his aching body.

Ivarstead was a quaint little village. There were no tall building and crowded streets like Whiterun, no hustle and bustle of hundreds of people lining the street, just the sound of the river and birds chirping in the trees nearby. After the incident and mad rush away from Dagur, Hiccup felt his tense muscles relax a little, the pleasantness of his surroundings engulfing him.

As he began to walk, Hiccup saw only a handful of villagers scattered around. Two men worked feverishly at the mill, hauling up huge logs of wood towards a saw blade, a large water wheel turned gently in the river. Two women busied themselves with chat and collecting strawberry's from a small field behind one of the huts, and a large bullock mooed as it walked in circles pulling the mechanisms of a water well.

Hiccup turned his attention back towards the mountain, reaching up so high that he could not even see the peak through the clouds. Snow covered the parts of the inclines he could see, and low grasslands spread across its base. A small bridge across the river led to a group of steps heading into the trees at the foot of the mountain. Hiccup approached the bridge, stopping to look at a road sign.

_High Hrothgar – The 7,000 Steps_

"So, this is it, the way to High Hrothgar. 7,000 steps, gods I wish Toothless were here" Hiccup murmured, making no secret of his desire for his best friend to be able to fly him to the top. Hiccup noticed a man walking towards the steps, a large satchel slung over his shoulder, yellow robes dragged the floor behind him as he climbed up the steps and disappeared into the trees. Hiccup walked away from the bridge and began to head back towards the house, arriving just I time to see Thorin come out of the front door, rubbing his eyes.

"How's Imogen, is she okay?" Hiccup asked. Thorin huffed and placed his hands on his hips, pacing up and down the porch, a grimace spread across his face, "Thorin?"

"I'm going to kill him"

"What?" Hiccup quizzed, a little taken aback by the sound of aggression in Thorins voice.

"Dagur, that low life scum, I will kill him" Thorin growled.

"Thorin calm down"

"No, if he puts my comrades in danger…" Thorin pulled his sword from its hilt, twirling the blade in his hands, the metal glistening in the lamp lights that hung from the porch beams,"...he will die by my blade"

"Ok, you're making me a little nervous Thorin" Hiccup said timidly. Thorin had a wild look in his eyes, like a wild animal gazing at his prey.

"He would do well to wish he does not encounter me again" Thorin muttered before sliding his sword back into its holster.

"Ok….so what do we do now? Who was that women?" Hiccup asked.

"Her name is Inga, she is Imogen's mother, she will take care of her. As for us, we make our way to High Hrothgar"

Hiccup didn't even have an opportunity to respond before Thorin bounded down the steps of the house. Hiccup quickly followed his brother as the pair walked back through the village. The few villagers milling around were now beginning to notice the pair, Hiccup guessed it was mostly likely because of Thorin not him. As they crossed the small stone bridge, Hiccup gazed up at the mountain again, low rumbles of thunder resonated across the grey skies. Thorin stopped before the first step, turning to look at Hiccup.

"Stay vigilant Hiccup, the steps are perilous. Keep your footing and keep your senses, these hills may be crawling with wolves and mountain trolls"

Hiccup griped Thorins forearm at this statement, "Whoa wait a minute, Mountain Trolls?"

"They are dangerous creatures, but as long as we stay out of sight they shouldn't bother us"

"Fine, let's get moving"

Thorin pulled his sword from its holster once more as he stepped forward onto the steps. Hiccup grabbed his Whiterun axe from his back and gingerly took the first step, his metal prosthetic clinking on the stones. Slowly, Hiccup took another step, and then another, then another as the brothers began to climb. The steps wound through the trees, climbing ever higher up the side of the mountain. Hiccup kept his eyes firmly on the path ahead; he definitely did not want to be ambushed, especially by a mountain troll.

Higher and higher they climbed, the air growing cold around them. Hiccup looked back down over the edge of the rocky landscape, and could see Ivarstead far below them, now a mere spec on the landscape.

"Hiccup get down!"

Hiccup quickly whipped round to see Thorin diving behind a large tree, his sword still drawn. Hiccup quickly followed suit, leaping from the patch and crouching behind a large rock. His breath hung in the cold and silent air, shivers echoed down his spine as his skin pressed against the cold stone. For a few moments, the air was quiet, but then, a low came from further up the patch. Hiccup gripped the handle of his axe tightly as the sound of footsteps became louder and louder.

Out of the gloom, the hulking troll trudged down the path, row after row of sharp teeth pointing from its jaws. White hair covered its entire body, two muscular arms stretched almost to the floor, three sharp clawed fingers cut through the mist. It's chest was covered it thick steel looking skin, almost like built in body armour.

The troll walked slowly past the brothers in their hiding places, stopping only briefly to sniff at the cold mountain air before moving on. Hiccup breathed a sigh of relief as the monster disappeared down the crest of the hill, losing his grip on the leather straps of his axe. Thorin climbed out from his hiding place, staring back down the path to make sure the troll was out of sight.

"Hiccup, it's safe, you can come out"

Hiccup emerged from behind the rock, his boots crunching the fresh snow that had begun to fall.

"So that was a mountain troll?"

"Yes, they are particularly vicious creatures, but not amongst the smartest. As long as you stay out of the sight, they shouldn't be able to find you. Now let's press on, we are not far away now"

The brothers continued their trek up the mountain, meeting no more obstacles along the way, until at last, they caught a glimpse of the giant fortress perched on the cliff side. Hiccup and Thorin stopped to admire the impressive structure, Thorin resting his hand on Hiccup shoulder.

"This is it Hiccup, welcome to the Throat of the World. Welcome to High Hrothgar"

Hiccup stared in awe at the building in front of him, it was enormous. The blackness of the stone walls jumped out against the white tundra background of the snow-capped mountains. A huge rock platform stretched out into the sky to the left, a guard tower reached further into the sky on the right.

Thorin sheathed his sword and walked towards the main steps to the entrance, Hiccup following at his heels. Pushing open the doors, a warm air blew comfortingly against his cold skin. Steeping into the fortress, Hiccup brushed the snow from his clothing and followed Thorin into the interior chamber in front of them. A skylight allowed enough light into the chamber whilst keeping the cold air out. Fires crackled and popped in fire pits around them, a stone column stood in the centre of the room, with a hooded figure kneeling before it.

As they approached, the figure stood and turned to face them, his scraggly beard tied with three leather straps. His robes were as dark as the stone of the walls, but his eyes glistened with light. |A small but distinguishable smile spread on his lips as the brothers approached.

"So…a Dragonborn appears, at this moment, in the turning of the age"


	19. Chapter 19 - The Way of the Voice

**Hi everyone. First of all, I am so sorry this chapter has taken so long to upload. My boss from my second job was on holiday for three weeks, and when 4 other members of staff are off sick, I was pretty much running the show. Working 2 jobs and 19 hour days 7 days a week for three weeks does take it out of you believe me. Secondly, I want to say thank you to everyone who has favourite and followed this story, I really appreciate your support. I finally got a chance to do some more writing this weekend, so hopefully it has gone well**

* * *

"I'm…I'm answering your summons" Hiccup said nervously.

"We will see if you truly have the gift. Show us, Dragonborn"

"What?" Hiccup asked in surprise.

"Let is taste of your voice" the cloaked man replied, steeping aside. Hiccup looked at Thorin, not sure exactly what he was supposed to do.

"Show them Hiccup" Thorin said encouragingly. Hiccup took a deep breath, the strange word flashed across his mind once again. He felt the power build up inside him, like a coiled dragon waiting to strike, before the blue explosion of light emitted from his throat.

**_"_****_FUS"_**

The blue glow illuminated the room, reflecting of the stone walls like light across water. The torches and fire pits burst into bright white flames as the energy surged all around them. Hiccup felt the energy flow through his body, from the crown of his head to the tips of his toes. Arngeir smiled broadly as the glow faded away

"Dragonborn, it is you. Welcome to High Hrothgar. I am Master Arngeir. I speak for the Greybeards, followers of the Way of the Voice. You stand on the slopes of Kynareth's sacred mountain. Here, we commune with the voice of the sky, and strive to achieve balance our inner and outer selves. Now tell me, Dragonborn, why have you come here?"

"I…I thought you summoned me here?" Hiccup asked.

"We are honoured to welcome a Dragonborn to High Hrothgar. We are here to guide you in the pursuit of greatness, just as the Greybeards have sought to guide those of the Dragon Blood that came before you" Arngeir replied, stroking his long scraggly beard.

"Others? You mean that I'm not the only one"

"You are not the first. There have been many of the Dragon Blood since Akatosh first bestowed that gift upon mortal kind. Whether you are the only Dragonborn of this age...that is not ours to know. You are the only one that has been revealed thus far, and we will do our best to teach you how to use your gift in fulfilment of your destiny"

"My destiny?" Hiccup shrugged, staring blankly at the floor "If only I knew what that meant?"

"That is for you to discover. We can show you the Way, but not your destination"

"Okay, I'm still very confused, but if you can help me do whatever it is I am here to do and get home as quickly as possible…then I am ready to learn"

"You have shown that you are Dragonborn. You have the inborn gift" Arngeir smiled, placing his withered and boy hand on Hiccup shoulder, "But do you have the discipline and temperament to follow the path laid out for you? That remains to be seen. Without training, you have already taken the first steps toward projecting your Voice into a Thu'um, a Shout. Now let us see if you are willing and able to learn. Follow me"

Arngeir walked towards a narrow corridor on the left side of the room, passing between 2 banners hanging from the walls, each depicting a strange looking creature, with the body of a dragon, but two heads, one human and one dragon. Hiccup looked back, expecting Thorin to be following them, but his brother was in fact heading back towards the main entrance of the fortress.

"Thorin, where are you going?" Hiccup asked, stopping in his tracks. Thorin stopped, pausing for a brief moment before turning to face Hiccup.

"I'm sorry Hiccup, but I must go back to Ivarstead" Thorin sighed apologetically.

"What? I don't understand? You're just going to leave me here?" Hiccup asked, his voice tinged with anger, but at the same time sadness. He had become accustomed to having Thorin with him, and he honestly didn't want him to leave. Thorin felt his chest become slightly tight at the expression on his brothers face.

"Don't worry brother, you will be safe here, but I have to check on Imogen and my men. They are stationed near Windhelm, and we may need them here if Dagur decides to attack again"

"No, wait!" Hiccup reached out and grabbed Thorins arm as he tried to turn towards the exit again, "I…I don't want you to go"

Thorin looked at Hiccup trembling hand on his arm, lifting his gaze to meet his brothers. Thorin reached out and wrapped his arms around Hiccup, hugging him tightly to his chest. Hiccup returned the hug, finding a small measure of comfort in Thorins embrace.

"I wouldn't leave unless I had to brother" Thorin said gently, breaking the hug, "There are some people I must speak with, some tasks I must see done. You forget, there is a war raging across Skyrim, it's my job to keep peace before the entire country falls into anarchy and more innocent lives are lost"

Hiccup felt a small sting of shame. He was being selfish asking Thorin to stay by his side all the time whilst there where others depending on him. It was just like back on Berk, he wanted to spend all of his time with Astrid and Toothless, but he couldn't, he was the chief, and an entire village was reliant on his leadership.

"Okay, I see you're point. How long will you been gone?"

"No longer than a few days, then I will return, I promise"

Hiccup managed a small smile. Thorin smiled back, before turning and heading towards the door. Hiccup watched his brother disappear around a corner, and just stood and listened to the sound of the main doors opening, the wind howling outside, and finally the echoing clunk as they closed. For a few moments, Hiccup just stood in silence. He was alone, again. He was in a strange place, and he was alone. For years and years he had felt alone, until that day against the Red Death changed his life. He had never wanted to feel alone again, but now he was, and there was nothing he could do about it.

"Dragonborn?" came the echoed voice of Arngeir from down the corridor. Turning on his heel, Hiccup followed the voice down the narrow passageway. Thick carpets lined the floor, small candles glowing from their holders on the wall, dripping wax onto the small sections of exposed stone between the carpets. For an old fortress on top of a mountain, Hiccup did feel the homely qualities of this place. Maybe it would be so bad here after all. Emerging from the corridor into another well-lit chamber, Hiccup laid eyes on three more Greybeards stood in a circle around the room.

"Come Dragonborn" Arngeir said, motioning to Hiccup to stand in the centre of the room, "When you shout, you speak in the language of dragons. Thus, your Dragon Blood gives you an inborn ability to learn Words of Power"

"Words of Power?" Hiccup enquired raising his brow.

"All Shouts are made up of three Words of Power. As you master each Word, your Shout will become progressively stronger. You have already show your mastery of Fus, Force, and now Master Einarth will now teach you Ro, the second Word in the Unrelenting Force shout. Ro means balance in the dragon tongue. Combine it with Fus to focus your Thu'um more sharply"

Einarth then stepped forward. Hiccup watched as the monk took a deep breath, circling his hands in the air in a sort of tribal dance, before exhaling sharply. A white glow resonated from his throat, twirling and slicing across the stone floor, dispersing across the cobbles, leaving behind three distinctive markings. Hiccup gazed down as the rippling images on the ground, and a familiar sensation began to overtake him, his knees becoming weak. The markings grew brighter in his eyes, burning their image on the back of his brain.

_"__RO"_

The glow flashed brightly, filling the room with a violent light. Hiccup slammed his eyes closed, his retinas hurting slightly for the intensity of the light. He felt the Word of Power become engraved in his memory.

"You learn a new word like a master...you truly do have the gift. But learning a Word of Power is only the first step...you must unlock its meaning through constant practice in order to use it in a Shout"

"How long will that take, I don't have a lot of time you know" Hiccup snapped, slightly aggravated that Arngeir had ignored his earlier statement about getting back to Berk as soon as possible.

"Well, that is how the rest of us learn Shouts. As Dragonborn, you can absorb a slain dragon's life force and knowledge directly" Arngeir replied calmly.

"So that's what happened at the watchtower? I kill…" Hiccup stopped mid-sentence, fighting back the lump in his throat as memories of the dead dragon and its horrifying screams of pain came flowing back to him, "…killed a dragon, and absorbed its power"

"Yes, but since there are no dragons here, as part of your initiation, Master Einarth will allow you to tap into his understanding of Ro"

Hiccup watched as Einarth approached, his arms again twisting in front of him. Slowly, the same ethereal threads that had appeared from the dragon enveloped around him, engulfing his entire body in light. The energy surged through every nerve in his body. It was an amazing feeling, the knowledge of the Word of Power poured into his brain like water into a goblet. Einarth slowly lowered his arms as the threads faded way.

"Now let us see how quickly you can master your new Thu'um"

* * *

The sun was slowly beginning to rise in the distance as Astrid and Gobber made their way back to the shore, casting a radiant orange reflection across the ripples of the ocean. Under any other circumstances, Astrid could just sit and stare at the brilliant colours on the water, but normal circumstances were becoming more and more difficult to come by these days. Gobber nursed his injured arm, rubbing his jaw gently with his other hand. Of the few teeth the burly Viking had left, the Berserkers had succeeded in dislodging a few of them.

The row boat crunched into the sand, followed soon by the boats of the others who had completed their search for the map. Astrid pulled the oars into the boat, slowly helping Gobber to his feet and climbing out onto the sand. The companion soldiers who had waited on the shore gripped the ropes attached to the front of the row boats, dragging them further onto the shore line.

"You need to go see Elina" Astrid said as she led Gobber away from the boats.

"Don't worry about me lass, I've suffered worse" Gobber replied, chortling lightly as he waved his prosthetic hand in front of her.

"But you could have a broken jaw, and your arm looks hurt pretty bad" Astrid asserted, her voice rasped with concern for the well-being of her friend.

"I'll be fine Astrid"

Astrid allowed Gobber to carry on up the beach on his own. Maybe he was right, he was one of the toughest men she had ever met, it would take more than a small beating to put Gobber down. Astrid turned her attention to the sound of the rest of the search party walking up the beach towards her.

"Any luck?" Fishlegs asked the collective group.

"We didn't find anything" Spitelout replied

"Nor us" echoed the twins

"Or us" Valka finished, "Astrid?"

Astrid at first did not respond to Valka, she just stared out at the Berserker ships, bobbing in the morning tide.

"Astrid?"

"They burnt it" Astrid responded blankly, receiving a collective groan from the rest of the group.

"So what are we supposed to do now?" Fishlegs asked.

"Have the other chiefs been summoned?"

"The Terrors left an hour ago, we should receive word back in a few days" Snotlout answered.

"Good, in the meantime, we need to prepare the island"

Astrid barked out orders to each of the group and the Companion soldiers. The beach was suddenly a bustle of activity as the island defences were prepared, huge catapults and trebuchets were quickly dragged down from the armoury. Giant wooden spikes, twice as long as a Nadder, were dug into the ground, sticking out menacingly towards the shore. Astrid watched as the Companion soldiers set up their own fortifications.

Was this really what it was all going to come down to? Despite her reputation, Astrid hated fighting, and she hated the prospect of war. She had watched her father march off to battle so many times when she was young, never knowing if he was coming back, until one day, he didn't. She put on a strong face for the sake of her mother, but deep down, her soul was ripped out of her that day. All her life, she had put up this persona as a tough warrior, who would gladly take up arms when her home was threatened, but the truth was, ever since she was a little girl, all she ever wanted was to live in a world where fighting was a thing of the past, where the people you love wouldn't be taken from you.

She decided she had had enough of watching her friends and allies setting up the war machines. She was exhausted; a good night's rest was something she desperately craved. Ever since Hiccup had left for Skyrim, she had found herself waking up at all hours of the night, bad dreams of all manner of terrible things happening to the man she loved. It killed her to know that he was so far away, and she could do nothing to help him. The muscles in her chest became tight as she thought of Hiccup, his boyish charm, his kind and good nature. He was everything to her, and she would give anything to have him back with her.

Astrid slowly began walking back towards the path leading away from the beach, Stormfly and Toothless in tow behind her. The inky blackness of night was slowly giving way to the orange glow of a new dawn. It was strange to think that only 5 days ago, everything had been normal, life had been normal. But now, now everything was turning sour. The stress was wearing her down, how much longer could she do this on her own? The walk back to her house seemed to take less time than usual. Perhaps all the thoughts swimming in her head made the time pass by faster. Whatever the reason, she was glad to be home. The lanterns on the wall of the porch gave off a dim but warming glow, the red curtains inside the glass swayed gently.

Suddenly, like a resonating thunder clap, the quiet of the morning was shattered.

"ASTRID! ASTRID!"

Astrid whipped her head around to see where the voice was coming from. Toothless and Stormfly growled lowly, they had learned over the years that humans shouting are usually a sign of trouble. From around the corner of a nearby hut, a young woman bolted up the road, skidding to a stop just in front of the porch steps.

"Christa, what's wrong?" Astrid asked stepping back of the porch. Christa was Elina's niece and her assistant, a bright and intelligent young woman. No one could believe that a girl of just 19 had become so skilled in the art of medicine, but she had been studying with Elina since she was old enough to walk. Her short blonde hair stuck to the sweat on her brow, her slender frame doubled over as she lent on her knees trying to catch her breath.

"It's…it's Alvin…" Christa spluttered.

"Alvin? What about him?" Astrid asked in concern, placing her hand delicately on the girls panting shoulder.

"He's…he's stopped breathing, you have to come with me quickly!"

Astrid didn't need telling twice, almost leaping down from the porch and taking off towards Elina's house, but not before holding up her hand to tell her dragon to stay put. Stormfly huffed in annoyance, small steams of her red hot breath seeped between her jaws. Toothless cawed quietly next to her in an attempt to calm her down. Astrid wasn't hanging around to see if he was successful, her feet pounded the dirt roads as she sprinted through the village. Within a minute, she had barged through the front door of the healers hut.

Elina was huddled over Alvin, whose body was completely motionless, the colour rapidly draining from his flesh. Elina was compressing hard against his chest in a steady beat, breaking only to place her ear across his mouth to check if he was breathing.

"Elina, what's happening!?" Astrid cried as she bounded over to the bedside

"I can't find a pulse and he has stopped breathing! Quick, grabs that mortar bowl over there!"

Astrid eyes flitted to the small wooden mortar and pestle on Elina's desk. Inside was a pungent smelling green substance, giving off an overwhelming odour of mint and salts. Astrid's eyes began to water slightly as she grasped the mortar from the table.

"Now what?!"

"Hold it under his nose!"

Astrid shoved the mortar dish under the burly Outcasts nose; the smell began to perforate her own nostrils. Astrid closed her eyes tight, not only to stop them from watering, but to escape the sight of Alvin lying motionless on the table. She could feel his skin going cold under her own hands, sending horrible shivers down her spine. But she kept the dish in place, silently praying that whatever the concoction was, it would work.

"WE'RE LOSING HIM!" Christa shrieked. Elina furiously pumped her ball up hands against Alvin's heart. The pumps became faster and faster, until she began to slow. Her arm muscles burned from the effort of the compressions, and the pumps ceased. Lowering her head once more, Elina listening desperately for any breaths, pushing two fingers gently against the neck of the Outcast. Elina stayed still for a few seconds, before slowly closing her eyes and standing up straight, a single tear rolling down her cheek. Astrid stared at Alvin, her moth slightly agape, the mortar bowl shaking gently in her hands. Elina reached out and carefully took the dish from her, placing it delicately back on the desk.

For a few moments, the three women just stood in silence. The room suddenly seemed much colder, like a frost had suddenly engulfed them all. The morning light streamed in through the gap in the curtains, but did little to lift the desolation they all now felt.

"He's…he's gone…we've lost him" Elina whimpered. Astrid dare not look away from Alvin's lifeless body, out of fear if she did, it would all suddenly become real. She hoped with all her heart that this wasn't real, that any minute Alvin would open his eyes and be okay. She had come to respect Alvin greatly in the years that had passed, and was proud to call him a friend. But now, her friend lay perfectly still, his life had ebbed away from him in front of her very eyes.

Christa leaned forward and gently pulled the covers over Alvin's body, her own tears now flowing freely. Astrid was finally able to break her gaze on Alvin, turning away from the bed. Clasping her hands across her mouth, Astrid stifled the small sob that was trying to escape her lips. Her eyes burned as a fresh batch of tears made their way to the surface. She couldn't be in that room anymore, she had to get out.

The young chieftess stepped outside of the hut, whipping her eyes with the back of her hands. Only after opening them, did she see that small crowd had gathered outside the hut. Clearly Christa's cries for her had drawn the attention of the villagers who had been nearby. None of them spoke; they just watched as Astrid dried her eyes and cleared her throat.

"Alvin…is…dead" Astrid strained to get the words out. The quiet was quickly broken by women gasping, holding their children close to them. The men around all sighed heavily, resting their hands on their waists or rubbing their eyes. Astrid could feel her heart sink. The Berserkers had taken another life, and she had been powerless to stop them. First Mecius, and now Alvin. Ruffnut nudged her way through the crowd, wrapping her arm around Astrid's shoulders and giving them a small comforting squeeze. Astrid smiled at her friend, who at times was one of the most infuriating people she had ever met, but still was a kind and caring person.

"So…what do we do now" Ruffnut asked quietly.

"Now" Astrid sniffed, looking out across the bright reflections on the surface of the sea, "Now we pray"

* * *

_Three days later_

Astrid awoke early that morning. The skies outside her window where dark, rain fell against the stone slate roof of her bedroom. Small rumbles if Thunder and the occasional lighting crack resonated far off in the distance. Normally, she would have rolled over and gone back to sleep. Hiccup was the early riser of the two, but she was a girl who enjoyed long lay ins in bed, the warmth of the blankest enveloped around her, the quiet steady breaths of Hiccup beside her. She would often snuggle up against him, letting the warmth from his body made her feel safe and cosy. But today was not one of those days.

They had received the first responses to their distress calls for the emergency summons the afternoon before last. It was incredible how fast Terrible Terrors could get across the archipelago. It had mad inter-tribal communication so much easier over the past few years. Hiccup had come up with the idea of the Terror mail system, and it was he and Astrid who had trained the first few dragons how to deliver letters all over the archipelago.

The first tribe to respond to the calls for aid were the Bashem Oiks tribe. They had long been an ally of Berk and had fought many battles side by side, and fought well. Their home was to the west, a lush and tropical island, covered in thick rainforest and waterfalls. There was a saying across the archipelago that "Bashem Island was a little slice of paradise in a cold and bitter world". Astrid had vacationed on the island many times when she was young. It was one of her favourite places to visit, not just for the warm weather, clear waters and clean sandy beaches, but also because like Berk, it was home to vast and diverse variety of dragon species.

The other responses had been good overall; all of the chiefs had agreed to meet and were arriving that morning, which meant she had to be there to greet them. Astrid rubbed her eyes and brushed her long blonde bangs off her face. She swung her legs over the side of the bed and stretched out her arms and back. She quickly gathered her clothes, pulled them on and walked down the corridor to the wash room. She splashed a few handfuls of cold water onto the face, the chill made her skin tingle. After tying her hair into its usual braid, Astrid made her way towards the staircase. As she made her way down the stairs, Stormfly and Toothless stirred from their slumber.

"Good morning sleepy heads, who wants breakfast?"

The dragons were suddenly wide awake at the mention of food. Astrid smiled to herself as she opened the front door and fetched a small bucket of fish from the porch. Within seconds, the two scaly beasts were gorging themselves on the Icelandic cod. Astrid laughed quietly at the sight the dragons quarrel over the largest of the fish. She pulled a small bread roll from the kitchen table for herself, taking small bites as she made her way out of the house. The dragons quickly followed after their breakfast had been consumed, well, demolished would have probably been a more accurate description.

Astrid pulled the hood of her coat over her head, the rain always made her hair frizzy. The village streets were quiet, far more quiet than usual. Every house now had their windows boarded up, the usual morning lanterns where gone. She could sense the fear amongst the people, the women and children were terrified to leave their homes, the men walked silently through the village streets. Many of them had experienced war before, and it was one of the most awful times of their lives. Hundreds of Berkian soldiers had been killed over the generations, yet another reason why Astrid hated fighting.

As the harbour came into view, Astrid could already see small specs of ships on the horizon. As she stepped onto the docks; the sea breeze rustled her fur coat and boots. Most of her friends and their dragons had already arrived, watching as the large black sails approach the shore line. Hosting seven tribal chiefs had required a great deal of preparation, almost every spare room on the island had now been allocated the visiting tribes. Astrid smiled to Valka as she took her place beside her.

The ships drew into the harbour, ropes thrown from the deck by Bashem sailors and quickly tied off. Astrid had been very careful in her messages not to invite large numbers of the visiting tribes, or mention that Hiccup was away. The Berserkers must have known they would have called for help, but so far, they had not heard anything from the invaders since their encounter on their ships three nights before.

Gang planks fell from the ships, clunking onto the wooden docks. Astrid stepped forward as the first visitors stepped onto the docks.

"Ivarr, welcome, it is good to see you"

Ivarr the Invincible was the now elderly chief of the Bashem-Oiks, a revered man across the archipelago, maybe the entire world. His exploits as a young man gave him legendary status. He was rarely seen without his trademark club, a weapon that struck fear into any enemy he came across. He was wearing a simple brown cloak, the frayed edges dragged across the wet floors. His face was now hallow and gaunt after years and years of defending and leading his tribe. Ivarr extended his bony hands, encased in a pair of leather gloves with three golden rings on each hand, out to Valka.

"It is wonderful to see you again my dear, albeit under rather more serious circumstances than our last meeting" the old man smiled. Valka took his hands in hers, a smile spread across her face.

"Ah yes I remember, the Viking games, how long ago was that, 7 years?"

The elderly chief gave a warm smile, squeezing Valka's hands gently. Astrid could see the twinkle in the old man's eyes, full of fire and passion. She had heard the stories about Ivarr; they were some of her favourites growing up. Her father had told her all about how Ivarr had taken on an entire army with only 200 men and won, had sacked giant pirate fleets in the Sullen Sea with a single ship, and taken back the old Fort Sinister to the south without firing a single arrow. She wasn't sure how many of these stories were true, but she enjoyed them all the same.

"And this must be Astrid, I've heard so much about you young lady" said Ivarr, turning to look towards her. Astrid stepped forward, bowing her head slightly to the Bashem chief.

"Thank you so much for coming on such short notice"

"Oh pish posh" Ivar laughed, "Sailing the seas is still one of my favourite past times. Why in my youth, I once took on an entire…"

"…Pirate fleet with a single ship. Are you still bragging about that?!" came a laughing voice further down the docks. Valka, Astrid and Ivarr and looked to the direction of the voice of the man strutting his way up the docks, his distinctive chin hair and tattoos making him instantly recognisable.

"Eret!" Astrid said happily, walking towards Eret and wrapping her arms around his muscular neck in a hug. Eret had been elected the new chief of the Lava Lout tribe and moved away from Berk two years earlier, but he had not changed a bit, his boyish charm, rippling muscles and charismatic personality had not dwindled over the years. His familiar woollen vest and brown leather britches were exactly the same; the only new addition Astrid could see was a new tribal tattoo on his right arm. He had done an amazing job bringing peace to what was once a troubled island, and one of Berks greatest enemies.

"Astrid, it's great to see you again" Eret smiled as the pair released the hug

"It's great to see you too, how's life on Lava Lout Island?" Astrid asked

"Oh not much to report I'm afraid, good harvest this year, a few rouge dragons but nothing we couldn't handle" Eret shrugged as he dropped his satchel onto the ground.

"ERET!"

Eret winced as he recognised the voice calling out to him. He slowly turned round to see Ruffnut charging down the dock towards him.

"No, no, no, no, no…"

Ruffnut ploughed into the burly Viking, sending the pair of them sprawling onto the floor. Astrid couldn't help but laugh as she watched Eret desperately try to fend off Ruffnut's attempts to plant a smacker on his lips.

"Astrid…little…little help…" Eret groaned

"Sorry Eret, just enjoying the show" Astrid snickered, crossing her arms as Ruffnut continued to smother him. Astrid noticed a strange look on Fishlegs face, his cheeks growing red and his brows furrowed as he watched Eret and Ruffnut tangle on the floor. Was he jealous of Eret?

"Wow, I guess some things never change around here"

Astrid whipped round on her heels, her eyes widening and a smile broke across he lips when she saw who was disembarking her ship. She knew that voice, the jet black hair and ruby red lips.

"Heather!" Astrid cried as she ran over to her friend, wrapping her arms round her in a tight embrace. Heather wrapped her arms around Astrid, a huge smile across both their faces.

"My gods it's been too long" Astrid said happily, "And look at you hey, Chief of the Outcasts"

"Yeah, after Alvin retired the people thought I would be a good choice" Heather shrugged. Astrid's lowered her eyes to the ground, her happy expression slowly melting away when she heard Alvin's name mentioned. Heather immediately noticed this, looking at her friend in concern.

"Astrid, what's wrong?"

"I have…I have something to tell you…about Alvin" Astrid said quietly, not wanting to raise her voice too much.

"What about him, he's on a fishing trip" Heather replied inquisitively "Astrid…what's going on"

Astrid raised her eyes back up the meet Heathers. How could she tell her what had happened to Alvin, it would break her heart. Alvin had been like a father figure to Heather for a long time, even during the early days when all they tried to do together was cause trouble. But their relationship had developed since then.

"Maybe…I should…" Astrid stammered, trying formulate the words but with little success, "Come with me"

Heather eyed her friend from head to toe, a look of confusion across her face as Astrid began to walk back up the docks.

"Valka, can you welcome the other chiefs and show them where they will be staying?" Astrid asked as they walked past the others. Valka nodded as she noted the expression on Astrid's face. The two women walked back up the dirt path towards the low land forests, which were truly beautiful at this time of year. The sky vanishes almost completely beneath the trees; only a few fragments of the dark grey clouds remained like scattered pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. The air is rich with the fragrance of dew, leaves and flowers, all of which were in full bloom. The only movement was the occasional bird, startling in a tree or a squirrel dashing up a nearby trunk. The sound of running water in the brook nearby had an almost hypnotic quality.

The friends walked in silence through the trees, the sound of the rain, the birds and the running water broken only by the gentle crunch of their boots in the dirt. Heather wanted to ask Astrid again what was going on, but the sullen look on her face suggested it would have been unwise to do so. After a few minutes, the pair emerged from the forest. Heather gasped at what she saw. The cliff looked out over the horizon, the ocean spread like a blanket in front of them. Torches still crackled in ground, the rain water hissing as it met the flames. But it wasn't the view the caught Heathers attention; it was a small stone plaque on the floor, covered in carved writings, and behind it, twenty to thirty other stones.

_May the Valkyries welcome you, and lead you through Odin's great battlefield. May they sing your name with love and fury, so that we might hear it rise from the depths of Valhalla, and know that you've taken your rightful place at the table of Kings_

Heather dropped her bag to the floor, her mouth hung agape; tears began to brim in her eyes. She slowly stepped forward, walking in between the stones. Astrid watched as Heather came to stop in front of one of the stones, and dropped to her knees. She could hear her friend quietly begin to sob, her face buried in her hands. Astrid walked over the heather, kneeling beside her and placing her arm around her in attempt to offer some form of comfort.

"Heather, I'm so sorry" Astrid choked, trying to hold back her own tears. Heathers shoulders juddered as the tears flowed. Astrid clenched her eyes shut. She couldn't cry now, she had to stay strong for her friend. Heather slowly lowered her hands and opened her eyes, which were now bloodshot and wet with tears. She reached down, brushing her fingers across the cold stone and the carved writing.

_ALVIN_

_OUTCAST TRIBE_

"Dagur…Dagur killed him…didn't he" Heather stuttered, her voice shaky and horse.

"The Berserkers captured him, tortured him. We did all we could to save him, but…I'm sorry Heather"

Heather lifter her fingers from the stone, whipping the tears from her cheeks and getting to her feet. Astrid was slightly alarmed at the now stony expression on her face, her eyes narrowed, he lips pursed tightly together as she stared out across the vast ocean.

"Let's take him down"

* * *

The sun shone brightly that morning when Hiccup awoke, the snow glistened on the mountain side like starts in a night sky. The air was cold and brisk, but the freshest he had ever experienced. After living his whole life on Berk, he was used to cold, but this was a different kind of cold, enough to send shivers down your spine and chill your bones. Each night he had been forced to wrap up in extra layers to escape from the bite of the freezing temperatures.

Every muscle in his body ached. The Greybeards had been running him ragged for three days straight, training from sunrise until late into the evening. His bones felt like they could crumble at any moment, his eyes felt heavy with exhaustion and getting in and out of bed was becoming more difficult by the day.

But, despite his physical exhaustion, the knowledge and power he had learned was incredible. The new shouts he had learned were amazing. He had mastered the Unrelenting Force shout on his first day, a fact that greatly impressed the Greybeards. Another shout they had taught him was called Whirlwind Sprint, which let him sprint at an incredible speed for a short burst. That one had been a bit more tricky, keeping his balance at those speeds was difficult enough without this prosthetic to take into account.

Hiccup climbed out of bed, groaning as his muscles struggled to pull himself up. Pulling on his shirt, he walked down the corridor to the main chamber. Arngeir was kneeling in silence in the centre of the room, a small fire crackled in front of him. The old Greybeard lifted his head as he heard Hiccup approach.

"Your quick mastery of a new Thu'um is...astonishing. I'd heard the stories of the abilities of Dragonborn, but to see it for myself..."

"Thank you" Hiccup replied, kneeling down opposite Arngeir, "So…what's next?

"You are now ready for your last trial"

"But…Thorin…he told me to wait here for him" Hiccup replied

"I am aware, but as the Dragonborn, you cannot stop your training. You must complete your final trial"

"But what is Thorin comes back and I'm not here"

"Master Thorin is also a student in the ways of the voice. He undertook his trials without hesitation, and as the Dragonborn, you must do the same" Arngeir said sternly. Hiccup wanted to argue, but the fact was, he had no comeback. After everything he had learned from Thorin, and from the Greybeards over the last few days, he was beginning to understand the responsibility resting on his shoulders, and if he ever wanted to get back to Berk, it would be best to go along with it.

"Okay, fine" Hiccup huffed, rolling his eyes in frustration and a little contempt, "So, what is the last trial?"

"You must go and retrieve the Horn of Jurgen Windcaller"

"Jurgen Who?"

"He was a Great War leader of the ancient Nords, a master of the Voice, or Tongue. After a disaster at Red Mountain, where the Nord army was annihilated, he spent many years pondering the meaning of that terrible defeat. He finally came to realize that the gods had punished the Nords for their arrogant and blasphemous misuse of the Voice. He was the first to understand that the Voice should be used solely for the glory and worship of the gods, not the glory the men. Jurgen Windcaller's mastery of the Voice eventually overcame all opposition, and the Way of the Voice was born"

"So…he was the first Greybeard?" Hiccup asked

"Yes, he truly was a great man" Arngeir replied, his voice full of admiration as he recanted the tale of his predecessors.

"And what exactly is the way of the voice?"

"The Voice was a gift of the goddess Kynareth, at the dawn of time. She gave mortals the ability to speak as dragons do. Although this gift has often been misused, the only true use of the Voice is for the worship and glory of the gods. True Mastery of the Voice can only be achieved when your inner spirit is in harmony with your outward actions. In the contemplation of the sky, Kynareth's domain, and the practice of the Voice, we strive to achieve this balance"

Hiccup exhaled loudly and rubbed his eyes. All this information was cramming his brain, he wasn't sure how much more he could fit it.

"But I don't follow that philosophy, so why would you all help me learn?"

Arngeir reached across the flames, placing his hand on Hiccup shoulder.

"The Dragonborn is an exception to all the rules - the Dragon Blood itself is a gift from the gods. If we accept one gift, how can we deny the other? As Dragonborn, you have received the ability to shout directly from Akatosh. We therefore seek to guide you on the proper use of your gift, which transcends the restrictions which bind other mortals"

"Okay, okay, enough history lessons for one day" Hiccup snapped, a little surprised at himself how edgy he had become lately. It wasn't like him to lash out at people, but over the past week or so, he was becoming more and more irritable. But then again, having a maniac out there constantly trying to kill you, being so far away from your home and the ones you love, being stuck in some old fortress on top of mountain would grind down any man's resolve. Hiccup pondered how Thorin had managed to do it all these years.

"I understand this is a lot to take in, but rest assured, the path of the Dragonborn is a path to enlightenment, even if a few hardships must be suffered along the way" Arngeir squeezed Hiccup shoulder gently and reassuringly. Hiccup took a deep breath, exhaling slowly as he felt the tension ease slightly.

"So, where do I need to go?"

"Retrieve the horn our founder from his tomb in the ancient fane of Ustengrav. Remain true to the Way of the Voice, and you will return. But remember, the Dragon Blood itself is a gift from Akatosh. Do not try to deny that gift. Your destiny requires you to use your Voice - why else would Akatosh have bestowed this gift upon you? If you remember to use your voice in service to the purpose of Akatosh, you will remain true to the Way"

Hiccup nodded as he got to his feet, brushing a few small specs of dirt from his pants before heading for the exit of the fortress. The white snow blanket shone on the ground for the bright sunlight. Hiccup looked across the flawless blue skies, the clouds hanging below them like a fluffy blanket. The snow crunched under his boots as he descended down the steps.

"Gods, I hope we don't run into anything on the way down" Hiccup muttered to himself as he continued to walk. He could hear birds chirping in the trees all around him, a small group of deer nibbled at the berry bushed lining the path. As he went further and further down the steps, the cloud became thicker. He could hear the howling of the wind below. As peaceful as it was on top of the mountain, clearly below the clouds was a different story.

Hiccup broke through the cloud line; a sudden chill tingled down his spine. The wind roared in his ears as he stepped right into the middle of the snow storm that now raged all around him. He quickly pulled up his hood to shield is face and head from the bitter cold. He could barely see a few feet in front of him, the force of the wind nearly knocking him over on a number of occasions as he descended down the path. Thankfully, he didn't run into any wild animals, no bandits, and thank the gods, no Skyrim dragons as he reached the bottom of the 7,000 steps.

Ivarstead was just starting to bustle with activity as he walked through the town square, the villagers going out their business, paying little to no attention to him. He was quietly thankful of that, the last thing he wanted was the whole village fussing over him. Perhaps the news from Whiterun hadn't reached the village yet, about him being the Dragonborn.

"I should check in on Imogen before I set off for the tomb" he said to himself, heading off in the direction of Imogen's house. After a short walk, Hiccup arrived at the front door of the small wooden house, rasping on the door. The same elderly women from before opened the door.

"Can I help you?" said the elderly women who answered the door. Hiccup recognised her as Imogen's mother.

"Uh….my name is Hiccup, I'm Thorins brother"

"Oh yes I remember you, please come inside"

Hiccup stepped through the front door and gazed around at the cottage. It was a small building, only a single floor. The walls of different shaped logs in various shades of brown fitted together like a puzzle. A small fire burned under the mantle, vases of flowers stacked neatly on top. In the corner of the hut stood a large bookcase, crammed with more books than Hiccup had ever seen apart from Fishlegs collection. A small metal tea pot bubbled and steamed in the kitchen, the content giving of an alluring smell of aromatic herbs and spices.

"Can I get you anything, perhaps a spot of tea?" asked Imogen's mother.

"Oh no thank you Mrs….." Hiccup paused; he hadn't actually asked what Imogen's full name was after he met her.

"Please there is no need to be so formal, call me Kiren"

"Okay, Kiren…How's Imogen doing"

"She's sleeping now, those monsters almost killed her" Kiren said with a flare of anger, looking towards the one bedroom door inside the hut, "But she is strong, she will pull through"

"I'm glad to hear it" Hiccup replied, exhaling lightly in relief. At least that wouldn't be another life lost.

"Thorin has told us a lot about you" Kiren smiled.

"Well there isn't much to tell really" Hiccup shrugged

"Oh don't be so modest. From what I here, you are quiet the accomplished man. Chief of your tribe if I'm not mistaken"

"Well….yes" Hiccup replied, shuffling his feet slightly.

"Your parents must be very proud of you"

Hiccup looked into the eyes of the elderly women, his face sullen and emotionless. He still found it hard whenever anyone made any reference to Stoick, even those who didn't know him, "Has Thorin been back here?" he asked.

"Wait, you mean he's not with you?"

"No" Hiccup replied, his voice full of surprise, "He left 3 days ago to check on Imogen and his men. Has he not been here?"

"No he hasn't, we haven't seen him since he led you up the 7,000 steps"

Hiccup ran his fingers through his scalp, tugging lightly at his hair. He was growing worried now, his brows drew together and he bit his lower lip. If Thorin hadn't even been back to Ivarstead, where was he?

"Do you know where else he could have gone?" Hiccup asked

"I don't know, maybe he went back to Solitude or Whiterun, he had men stationed there no?"

"I'm not sure, maybe" Hiccup replied, walking over to the single window and staring at the path leading away from the village. What was he going to do? Go look for Thorin or head to the tomb to get the horn.

"I need to get to a place called Ustengrav; it's some kind of old tomb. Do you know which way it is?"

Kiren nodded and walked over to a small chest on the book case, opening the lid with a small creak and pulling old a roll of parchment. The old women handed it to Hiccup, who unfurled it to reveal a map.

"It is to the north, passed Whiterun and the city of Morthal"

"Whiterun? Good, I can stop of there and look for Thorin on the way. Thank you" Hiccup smiled to Kiren, rolling up the map and stuffing it into his bag as he headed towards the door, "Tell Imogen I hope she feels better soon"

"Do you have a way of getting to Ustengrav?" Kiren asked.

"Uh….." Hiccup honestly hadn't thought about that, his jaw hung slightly open as he tried to think of an answer that wouldn't make him look foolish. Kiren simply smiled and chuckled at the flustered expression on his face.

"There are two mounts out back, please take one, it's the least I can offer you after you saved Imogen"

"That's very kind of you, thank you" Hiccup flashed one last quick smile to Kiren as he pushed open the front door. He walked around the side of the hut, and sure enough, tied to a post and munching on a large bale of hay, where two horses. Hiccup approached cautiously, he didn't want to startle them. He placed his hand gently on the neck of the beautiful brown horse, the creature lifting its head and shaking it mane. Hiccup smiled as the animal lowered its head back down, allowing him to climb on. Slinging his bag over the creatures' hind, Hiccup pulled himself on, kicking his heels slightly and trotting back up the road.

* * *

The skyline of Solitude rose up in the distance once again as Dagur approached. Small rays of sunshine were struggling to make their way through the thick grey cloud that hung over head, giving the Berserker chief very little visibility, but he could just about make out the small flicker and glow of torches on the city walls. He could hear the sound of the ocean waves breaking against the rocky shore line, gulls squawking as they plunged down to catch whatever fish they could find.

The clouds pretty much summed up his mood of the past few days. They had searched every inch of the surrounding forest, but found no trace of Hiccup or Thorin. The flames had taken nearly a day to die down, and to his utter rage and contempt, they had no trace on where their targets had fled to. Dagur had been stewing in anger for days, taking out his frustration on any who crossed him, even his own men on one occasion.

This was not a feeling he was used to, feeling so out of control of his pursuit of a target. He had never gone this long without completing what he had set out to do, and that only fuelled his temper even more. For three days, he had racked his brain, trying to think of a new plan, and after long periods of nothing, he had finally had a brainwave. If he couldn't pursue Hiccup, then he would let him come to them.

He was going to draw them out, and he knew the perfect way to do it.

"So, everyone knows what their job is?" Dagur asked his men, who all gave a resounding nod as a reply, "Good, because if one of you, just one, messes this up…" Dagur raised his sword, the hand carved notches in the handle clearly visible to his men, "…you will become just another notch. Am I clear?"

None of the men dared respond to this threat, because they knew it was real. Dagur lowered his sword and continued to creep back towards the city. Last time they had gone in under the cover of darkness, but they would have no such luck this time. This would require a great deal of stealth.

As the band of Berserkers drew closer, Dagur scanned the walls for any way they could sneak into the city undetected. His luck was in as he spotted a small side gate, patrolled by a single guard. Dagur pulled a throwing knife from his belt, took aim and threw with all his might. The blade whistled through the air, slamming into the guards' neck before he even knew it was coming. The soldier gurgled, spitting blood onto the ground, before collapsing in a heap. Dagur stepped over the body and pushed gently against the wooden doors. They opened with a small squeak, loud enough not to draw the ear of any of the patrols on the wall above.

Dagur slipped through the gate, hugging to the side streets and alley ways. Even in the early hours of the morning, the streets where already a buzz with activity. More guards roamed to cobblestones than there had been before. Dagur smirked to himself at the thought of Elisif sending out more guards in fear that the Berserkers would come back. And if more guards were in the streets, there would be less guarding her palace.

As quiet as a mouse, Dagur slipped from one side street to another, ducking down behind crates and barrels to avoid being seen by the guards. His men followed closely at his heels, being extra cautious not to make any noise that would get them caught. The Blue Palace was once again in his view. Scuttling down one final alleyway, Dagur pressed his back up against the palace wall, waiting for his men to catch up. One by one, the Berserker soldiers caught up with their chief, drawing their weapons.

Dagur slowly crouched down as they made their way along to wall, his eyes scanning the huge stone structure for any way into the palace. Once again, luck was on his side. A service hatch was open a few yards away, a woman carrying baskets of food from a nearby cart, which she almost dropped in fright as she saw the Berserkers approach. Before she could scream, Dagur help his finger up his lips, his eyes glaring at the terrified girl to keep quiet. The woman didn't scream, just climbed into her carriage and drew the curtain back. Dagur could hear her quiet whimpers as they walked past.

The stairs down into the cellar where well lit with small torches on the wall. Dagur grabbed one of the torches from its bracket and held it out at arm's length, casting a low light down into the cellar. As he reached to bottom of the staircase, Dagur couldn't see anyone else. No guards and no servants, just another winding staircase at the far end of the room, which he assumed led up into the main chambers.

Drawing his sword once again, the Berserker chief began to slowly climb the second stair case. He could hear the chatter of the palace occupants through the stone walls, mostly talking about a dragon attack in a place called Whiterun.

_"__So this place had wild dragons as well" _Dagur thought to himself as he reached a wooden hatch at the top of the stair. He could see lights shining through the gaps between the wooden planks, the talking much louder now. Turning around, he saw the rest of his men waiting for his order. Holding up three fingers, Dagur slowly counted down.

_Three…two…one…_

Blasting his way through the hatch, Dagur was created by startled screams, which quickly turned to screams of terror. Women and children ran for the nearest chamber, slamming the doors behind them to shield themselves from the invaders. The handful of men reached for whatever weapons they could find pointing them at the Berserkers. Dagur cackled at the feeble defence they were putting up.

"Hold them back men if you please"

The Berserker soldiers lumbered forward, their weapons in hand. The palace occupants shook with fear as the hulking invaders approached. Lowering their weapons and kneeling to the ground in surrender. Dagur chortled as he strolled past towards the throne, where, sitting tall and strong as always, was Elisif.

"Ah my dear Jarl Elisif, it is so nice to see you again" Dagur snickered sarcastically. Elisif didn't respond and didn't move, she just glared with a look of unrivalled hatred towards Dagur. She was not about to back down from this lunatic.

"I'm so sorry to interrupt, but there has been a slight change in my plans"

"And what is that?" Elisif snarled.

"Well, my plan to get to that runt on the road hit a bit of a snag, so instead, I'm going to bring him to me"

"How exactly do you plan to do that?" Elisif snorted. Dagur walked round the back of her throne, resting his hand on the back rest.

"You will send out your best riders. I know that you know where Hiccup is, so they will find him and deliver a message"

"I will not bow to your demands you maniac. Leave this palace, leave my city and leave my people in peace"

Dagur suddenly reached around the throne, grabbing a large chunk of Elisif's hair in his vice like grip. The captives kneeling on the floor howled and cried in protest.

"Don't hurt her"

"Please just leave us be"

Dagur ignored the pleas, pulling hard on the scalp of the now wincing Jarl. He lowered his head down beside hers, his breath hot on her cheeks. Elisif tried to turn her head away, but Dagur yanked harder on her hair, making her cry out in pain.

"Don't make me ask you again" Dagur whispered menacingly.

"Malhardt…Ermoor…" Elisif called out. Two of men kneeling on the floor slowly got to their feet, the Berserker soldiers never taking their weapons off them, "Go to High Hrothgar…gaahhh!" Elisif painfully winced as Dagur pulled at her hair once again, "Deliver this message"

Dagur smiled as the two men stepped forward.

"Tell them that Dagur the Deranged, mighty chief of the Berserkers, has taken control of the city of Solitude. If Hiccup wants to save all these people, then he will come here and surrender himself to me"

Malhardt and Ermoor nodded as the Berserker soldiers lowered their weapons. The two men took of down the stairs at a sprint, running as fast as they could away from their captors. Dagur looked across the room to his Lieutenant, a devilish smirk etched across his lips.

"How many men does it take to deliver a message?" he asked cruelly. The Lieutenant grinned back at his chief, pulling his bow off his back and taking aim.

"One…"


	20. Chapter 20 - Horn of Jurgen Windcaller

Hiccup passed through the gates of Whiterun much easier than he had on his first visit, his new title of Thane was proving to be quiet useful. Everywhere he looked, both villagers and city guards alike bowed their heads to him. It was honestly making him feel a little uncomfortable. Even though he was chief back home, no one bowed their heads every time he walked past, it wasn't their custom, and it was one he was thankful for. He didn't like being revered; he just wanted to be treated like everyone else, as an equal.

The low clouds had started to thin as he had ridden from Ivarstead. The small strands of sunlight poking through felt warm on his skin, a welcome change from the bitter cold up at High Hrothgar. His fur coat and hood had kept him warm on the ride, but had hastily been shoved into his bag as soon as the weather turned warmer.

The palace of Dragonsreach hooved into view as he passed through the city square, giant red flags flying high from the rooftops. Hiccup climbed off of his horse, leading it over to a small wooden fence post at the foot of steps. Tying off the reigns in a quick not, Hiccup pulled a carrot from his satchel, feeding it to his hungry mount. Hiccup smiled as the horse scoffed the vegetable down gratefully, patting the steed on its neck gently before grabbing his equipment and starting up the stairs to the palace.

A handful of guards greeted him as he reached the top and pushed open the door of the palace. The occupants all turned to face him at the sound of the door opening, each of them bowing their heads, some adding extra comments as he walked past.

"Welcome back Thane"

"Long live the Dragonborn"

Hiccup shyly raised his hand in recognition, all the while feeling more and more out of his depth. The grand hero thing, that wasn't him, that was more Thorins thing. As he approached the throne, Hiccup saw Jarl Balgruuf talking in depth with Irileth, but stopped and smiled widely as he approached.

"Ah, the saviour of Whiterun, Thane of our city has returned to us" Balgruuf bellowed happily.

"Thank you my Lord" Hiccup bowed

"And to what do we owe the pleasure of your return. I was led to believe you had reached High Hrothgar already?"

"I did my Lord; the Greybeards have sent me on my final trial"

"Hah! Only three days training and you have progressed to your final trials!" Balgruuf laughed, clapping his hands and throwing his arms in the air in jubilation, "Truly the prophecies were correct, a Dragonborn of great power!"

"Please there is no need for all the attention. I just wanted to ask if you had seen my brother recently"

Balgruuf lowered his arms, his happy expression replaced by one of slight confusion.

"Lord Thorin? It was my understanding he had accompanied you to the Throat of the World" Balgruuf responded.

"He did, but he left three days ago to check on some of his men. Has he been here?"

"No he hasn't" Balgruuf replied, rising from his throne and scratching his beard. Hiccup sighed in disappointment. What was he supposed to do now?

"Well, thank you for your help my Lord, I'm sorry to have disturbed you" Hiccup bowed as he turned to leave.

"Uh, Dragonborn!" Balgruuf called after Hiccup, who stopped and turned to once again face the Jarl, "Before you go, I have something for you"

"That's really not necessary, your hospitality has been most kind" Hiccup replied

"Nonsense, besides, I think it is something that will be of great interest to you, please" Balgruuf motioned his hand towards the door leading to the rear chambers of the palace. Hiccup paused for a moment, he didn't want to stay too long if he wanted to find Thorin and get his last trail over with, but his curiosity was getting the better of him. Pulling his bag higher up onto his back, Hiccup followed Balgruuf through the door. The room they entered he immediately recognised as the armoury, the weapons closet where his Axe of Whiterun once stood was now filled with an intricate set of armour.

Balgruuf walked across the room to a table, covered in an ornate cloth, brushing his hand across the bulge in the middle of it. Hiccup slowly walked across the room as the Jarl circled the table.

"We have the finest smiths in the land, give them the materials, and they can craft just about anything. Swords, axes, daggers, shields, armour the list goes on"

Hiccup watched as Balgruuf grabbed the cloth and pulled it from the table. His eyes went wide when he saw what lay on the table. A sword, not like any sword Hiccup had ever seen. The blade was not made of Iron or Steel, but a strange Ivory coloured material, the edges jagged and uneven, but still sharp as a razor. The fuller was cast in steel, running up almost the entire length of the blade, the cross guard shone in the low light, covered in ancient looking carvings. The grip and pommel moulded into one. The blade was truly a sight to behold. Hiccup stepped forward, resting his hand against the weapon.

"Incredible"

"This is my gift to you Dragonborn" Balgruuf announced proudly, grasping the hilt of the sword and hoisting it up, twirling it in his hand, "Nethersbane, the great sword of lost souls. Forged from the remains of Mirmulnir in the Sky Forge of Jorrvaskr"

"Mirmulnir?" Hiccup asked, raising his eye brow inquisitively. Balgruuf glanced over towards him, a resolute glint in his eyes.

"The dragon you slew at the Western Watchtower"

Hiccups jaw almost crashed to the floor. His wide gaze focused on the weapon in Balgruuf's hands. It couldn't be true, how had they managed to forge a sword out of Dragon bones.

"You mean this thing is made out of…" Hiccup tailed off, not sure he even wanted to finish his own sentence.

"A more fitting weapon for a Dragonborn there is not, no?" Balgruuf chuckled, holding to sword out to Hiccup.

"I…I don't think it can take this…I'm sorry"

Balgruuf looked into the eyes of the young man before him. He didn't see fear, he didn't see anger, what he saw was conflict. The elderly Jarl placed the sword gently back down onto the table.

"You seem troubled Dragonborn"

"No, no it's fine" Hiccup shrugged, stepping over to the table. The last thing he wanted to do was admit to Balgruuf why he felt uncomfortable using a weapon made of dead Dragon bones. The ivory of the blade shone in the lamp light. Hiccup slowly placed his hand on the grip, lifting the blade into the air. He was surprised by how light it was, the grip felt secure in his hands, the coldness of the steel handle made the hairs on his skin stand on end, "Thank you my lord"

"It is the least I could do for the savour of my city" Balgruuf smiled, placing his reassuringly on Hiccups shoulder, prompting a small but noticeable smile from the young Viking, "So, where will you go next?"

"To Ustengrav I guess" Hiccup replied

"Ah yes, the resting place of the great Jurgen Windcaller"

"You know the place?" Hiccup quizzed

"Yes. Jurgen Windcaller was a great man" Balgruuf walked over to a smaller table on the left side of the room, promptly pouring himself a goblet of wine, "He founded the Greybeards you know"

"Yes I know" Hiccup huffed. He had enough history lessons from the Greybeards, he didn't want one from Balgruuf as well, "So how do I get to Ustengrav?"

"Fortune favours your Dragonborn. Ustengrav is but a few miles north of here"

Hiccup placed the dragon sword back down on the table, grabbing the leather scabbard that lay next to it and quickly tying it round his waist. He had never carried this many weapons in his life, his Axe of Whiterun, the dagger he had picked up in Helgen and now Nethersbane. He slid his new weapon into the scabbard, the chappe clicking lightly against the metal locket.

"Thank you for everything" Hiccup said as he bowed his head slightly to the Jarl

"There is no thanks needed, you are a Thane of Whiterun and it is my pleasure to aid you in every way I can. Please stop by here again on your way back to High Hrothgar and I will see to it that you are well provisioned for your journey"

Hiccup shifted on his feet nervously, exhaling slowly.

"Well…the thing is…I'm not going back to High Hrothgar"

Balgruuf lowered his wine goblet and stared straight at Hiccup, making him even more nervous.

"You intend not to return?" The Jarl asked sternly

"Oh no, no I will return, but I have to find Thorin first"

Balgruuf slowly sat down in a nearby chair, taking another gulp of his wine.

"Your brother could be anywhere by now, how do you intend to find him?"

"I don't know, but like you said, he is my brother. I have to know he is safe" Hiccup replied, slinging his bag over his shoulder. Balgruuf rolled the goblet in his hand, a stern expression across his face. Hiccup knew that Balgruuf held the Greybeards in the highest esteem; he could understand why the Jarl would be angry to hear that he intended to stray from the path set for him.

For a few tense moments, the two men simply started at one another, until Balgruuf smiled and placed his wine back on the table.

"It is truly heart-warming to see a bond between brothers so strong. You are the Dragonborn, and it is not my place to question your word or your motives. Do what you must, the city supports you"

Hiccup smiled back at Balgruuf, before turning and heading back through the door to the palace.

* * *

Astrid sat impatiently in her chair as the other chiefs and their delegates entered the hall and began to take their seats, Toothless and Stormfly either side of her. To her left were her friends, their dragons and the other council members. Heather and her men sat beside Snotlout. Astrid could still see the sullen look on Heathers face. It pained her to see her friend suffer; she had grown incredibly close to Heather over the years. Often the two of them had spent days together either riding their dragons or practising their axe wielding, things Heather considered to be girl time. Astrid couldn't help but be mildly amused by the things they considered to be girly in comparison to the rest of the women on Berk, who preferred afternoon tea to Dragon riding.

On the far side of the table sat Eret and Ivarr, talking feverishly about the Berserker fleet sitting off shore. Next to them was Camacazi the Crazy, chief of the Bog Burglar Tribe. Astrid had known Camacazi for most of her life, they had been childhood friends even, but whilst Astrid was usually calm and collective, Camacazi was hyperactive and somewhat overconfident. She was regarded as one of the fiercest sword-fighters in the world, a fact she liked to brag about, even more after she became the Bog Burglars chief following the death of her mother, Big-Boobied Bertha.

The other chiefs were slowly filing into the hall. Mogadon, chief of the Meathead tribe, was lumbering into his seat. He was an absolute beats of man, covered from head to toe in red dye wool and fur. His face and arms were covered in scars. Following close behind was his son, Thuggory, who like his father, was quiet a size, even for his age of just 17. The Meatheads and the Hooligans had always had a good relationship, and Astrid was pleased to see them.

The last chief to enter the room was Drogo Lumus, chief of the infamous Murderous tribe, a group of cut throats and bandits, of whom Astrid had the unfortunate privilege of knowing all about their history, that they would fight for whoever would pay them the most gold. Astrid despised the Murderous tribe. Berk had fought wars against them on various occasions for over 300 years.

"As acting Chief of the Hairy Hooligan Tribe, I would like to thank you all for coming on such short notice, please be seated"

The sound of chair legs scratching along the floor echoed throughout the Hall. Astrid remained stood as the other chiefs sat back down.

"As I explained in my letter, just over 7 days ago, Dagur the Deranged, Chief of the Berserker Tribe led a naval invasion of Berk. On that occasion, he was quickly repelled; however his forces returned and are now moored just off the western shore of the Island. They have since invoked Article 5.2.4 – War Declaration. In the event of hostilities between two or more tribes, a formal declaration of war must be made, approved and…."

"We all know the laws Ms Hofferson, can you please just get to the point!" barked Drogo. Astrid scowled at Drogo, she didn't appreciate being interrupted. Toothless growled at the Murderous chief,

"The point is that the Berserkers want to declare war on Berk, and we need your help to stop them" Astrid continued. A low murmur of conversation rolled across the table as the chiefs and their delegates spoke in hushed voices. Astrid could hear little of what they were saying. Eret was the first to rise from his chair, drawing his sword and placing it on the table in front of him.

"You have my sword and the swords of the Lava Lout Tribe" Eret called out triumphantly. Astrid smiled happily as Eret retook his seat. Ivarr was the next chief to rise, placing his axe on the table.

"The Bashem Oiks support the Hairy Hooligan tribe"

Astrid then looked to Camacazi, expecting her to stand as well. But she didn't, she remained in her seat. Astrid's smile quickly faded as Camacazi looked to her.

"I'm sorry Astrid, I truly am, but the Bog Burglars have spent too much time fighting in wars that are not ours"

"But we need your help, we can't fight this war on our own" Astrid pleaded. Camacazi rested her elbows on the table, rubbing her eyes.

"I know what you ask of me, but I won't bring death and suffering on my people"

"You think the Berserkers will stop with invading Berk. They won't stop until they have conquered the entire Archipelago, which means all of us here" Gobber interjected.

"If the Berserkers plan to invade my home, then I will deal with them then, but I cannot pledge my army to this war"

"Astrid and Gobber are right Camacazi" Eret added, "They won't stop until they have killed each and every one of us. We need to stop them here and now"

"I have to look out for the best interests of my people"

"So what, you're just going to sit around and wait for the Berserkers to raid and pillage your home?" Astrid asked sternly, "This isn't the Camacazi I know. What ever happened to the women who charged into battle with her axe in one hand and a sword in the other?"

"She grew up Astrid, and I have an entire tribe to look after. I will not needlessly put them in danger until it is absolutely necessary. I'm sorry, but my soldiers will not fight this war"

Astrid was furious. How could her friend sit there and say that she wouldn't help them. How could she condemn Berk to war and just watch? She could feel her cheeks become hot as her anger set in.

"Fine, if you won't help us, then maybe it's best if you leave. Get back on your ships, go home and wait for the Berserkers to come and kill you all" Astrid spat, crossing her arms and turning her back on Camacazi.

"Astrid please, you must understand…."

"Just…get…out…" Astrid hissed. Camacazi rose from her chair, staring with sad eyes at the back of Astrid's head.

"Astrid…"

"GET OUT!" Astrid screamed, spinning round and glaring at Camacazi. Her breathing became heavy as her rage grew, hissing through her teeth, her eyes narrowed and her brow furrowed. Camacazi closed her eyes and shook her head sadly before stepping away from the table and walking towards the main doors, her soldiers at her heel. The door to the hall clunked shut slowly behind the Bog Burglars before Valka rested her hand gently on Astrid's shoulder.

"Astrid, perhaps it is best if we let them stay, who knows, Camacazi may come around"

"No she won't, she has made it clear that they aren't going to help us"

"Still, best not to burn bridges with one of the nearest allies"

Through her anger, Astrid knew that Valka was right. She could understand why Camacazi didn't want to risk her army in the war, but still, her refusal felt like a dagger through the heart. For a few moment, s Astrid just stared at the door of the Hall, her heart begging her to chase after Camazaci and apologise.

"Can you speak to her? Maybe she'll listen to you"

"I'll do what I can" Valka smiled, squeezing her shoulder gently before taking off after the Bog Burglar chief.

Astrid took a long deep breath, her nerves calming slightly, before turning her attention to Drogo Lumus. Astrid felt physically sick at the prospect of asking him for help, an outlaw and a cut throat. She had detested the man for as long as she could remember. Her mother used to tell her about the Murderous Tribe, how they raped and pillaged every island they invaded. Her father had fought in a war against the Murderous tribe when she was still very young, a war from which he never returned. It was all these things that fuelled the fire in her heart in her utter distain of the man slouched in the chair in front of her, his muddy boots staining the table as he sipped a goblet of mead, and expression on his face that he had not a care in the world.

"Drogo Lumus, Chief of the Murderous Tribe…" Astrid began. Drogo put his cup on the table before emitting a loud belch. His men laughed and cackled, but Astrid was less amused, "…will you help us defend our home against the Berserker Invaders?"

"Well…" Drogo Swung his legs off the table, his boots spreading mud all over the floor, "…that depends on how many numbers there are in the equation"

"Excuse me?"

"I'm not going to throw my men into battle without some form of incentive. So, what's in it for me?" Drogo asked.

"We don't have much"

"Well then you don't have my army do you?" Drogo laughed. Astrid could feel her anger building up once more.

"Did you not here what Eret said, the Berserkers will not stop with Berk" Fishlegs repeated, "They will attack the entire Archipelago if we don't stop them"

"Oh please" Drogo mocked, holding up his goblet as one his men refilled it with more mead, "I don't fear the Berserkers, if they want to invade us then fine, they will only be dooming themselves". Drogo paused, taking a long swig from his goblet, "Hmmm, this is good mead" he commented to his men before turning his attention back to a stunned Astrid in front of him, "I command the finest army in the world. My men are trained from infancy in the art of war. For over 1000 years, my forebears have fought and died on the battlefield. If you think for one moment that we're afraid to fight, then you could not be more wrong. I fight for whomever offers me the most coin is all, so I'll ask again, what's in it for us"

"You put financial gain over stopping a global threat?!" Astrid spat in dis-belief, "How can you be so heartless?"

"Financial gain is what keeps the world turning my dear. Without gold, I could not buy the farming equipment my people need to feed themselves, the weapons, armour and ships to defend ourselves"

"You mean the weapons, armour and ships for those blood thirsty pirates you call a Navy" Gobber interjected, standing from his seat, "We all know what you're about Drogo, you'd murder your own mother if it meant a few more coins in your pocket"

Drogo took another long glug from his goblet, swirling the liquid around in his mouth before swallowing loudly.

"You know, you're making this decision so much easier for me. Why would I fight for someone who is constantly insulting me?"

Astrid looked to Gobber, shaking her head ever so slightly. Gobber slowly sat back in his seat, glaring at Drogo.

"I'm sure Gobber did not mean to offend you Drogo…how much would you want?"

"I have 5,000 men, ready to take up arms on my command, so I'd say…100 gold pieces"

"100?" Astrid was slightly surprised at such a low number, "We can certainly pay…"

"Each"

Astrid's jaw nearly slammed to the floor. The entire room went deathly quiet.

"Wha…what?" Astrid stammered. Drogo snickered as he took another drink from his goblet.

"Weren't you listening, I said 100 gold pieces each"

"That's…that's half a million gold pieces…" Snotlout stammered from his seat.

"Imagine what we could buy with that much gold, we could dig the biggest board pit ever" Tuffnut smiled wishfully.

"We don't have that kind of gold, no one in the world has"

"Well you see Ms Hofferson…" Drogo once again held up his cup for a refill, "…that is where you are wrong. There is a man who has already agreed to pay us this fee to fight for him, and unless you can match his offer…"

"IF YOU KNOW WHAT IS GOOD FOR YOU, THEN YOU WILL SHUT UP AND GET THE HEL OUT OF THIS HALL RIGHT NOW!" Astrid screamed, raising her fists and marching towards Drogo and his men in utter rage, "YOU WANT TO FIGHT ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THIS WAR, FINE! GET OUT NOW, YOU MAKE ME SICK YOU DESPICABLE SON OF A…..!"

Gobber pulled Astrid back before she could finish her sentence. The seething girl looked like she was about ready to fight Drogo right then and there, a fight which would not have ended well for her. Astrid struggled and pulled against Gobbers grip, but the burly Viking was far stronger than her.

"Astrid, calm down, you're only making things worse"

"NO, GET HIM OUT OF MY HALL RIGHT NOW!"

* * *

Dagur much preferred his own throne in his palace back on Berserker Island, but the throne in Solitude would suffice for now. Slumped down in the chair, the crazed Berserker watched as the women on the court scrubbed the floors, crying quietly as Dagur's men leered over them. The men had been sent to the dungeons, and if any of them tried to escape or fight back, Dagur had given very specific instructions…very specific.

It had only been a few hours since he had sent the messenger to find Hiccup. This plan was fool proof. If there was one thing Dagur knew about his foe, was that he was a sucker for a distress call, and would ride in head held high to save the day. But this time it would be different, he would not let him escape again. Dagur looked to the small table next to throne. A solid gold hair band rested on a red silk cushion, a red jewel glinting in the torch light.

"Oh how lovely"

Dagur reached across and picked up the golden braid, the metal feeling cold on his skin. Twirling the braid in his hands, his eyes couldn't help but lay upon the red gem. The stone sparkled in the torch light; a sparkle that looked like it was dancing against the surface. Dagur was truly mesmerised as he gazed upon it, so much so, he could have sworn he could see something swirling around inside.

Blinking to break his trance, Dagur turned his attention to a young woman pouring him a goblet of wine, her clothes dirty and her hair messed from the abuse she had suffered at the hands of the Berserker soldiers.

"You girl, come here" Dagur called. The girl didn't move, keeping her eyes locked firmly on the goblet as she poured. Dagur could see her hands shaking in fear.

"Oh come now, I don't bite"

The girl slowly put the flagon of wine down on the table, the metal clanking against the table as her hands continued to shake. The girl slowly approached the throne, her hands now clasped together in front of her.

"What is your name?"

"My name is….. Fraena …." The girl answered timidly, her voice shaky and little louder than a whimper.

"Well Fraena, I wonder if you can tell me what this is"

Fraena watched as Dagur help up the gold braid.

"It is…the Jarls hair braid…"

"No not the braid you idiot" Dagur huffed in irritation, "The gem stone"

"It is a soul gem…"

"Really, and what is that exactly?" Dagur asked, tossing the braid back onto the table.

"It contains the soul of a wolf" Freana explained, still refusing to look at Dagur.

"Well that all sounds very interesting…" Dagur tilted his head, trying to look into the terrified girls eyes, "…look at me"

Freana slowly lifted her face to meet his gaze, her eyes bloodshot and puffy. Fresh tears rolled down her cheeks, her once flawless make up now ran across the face, smudged and uneven. Dagur smirked as the girls' eyes met his.

"You are a pretty thing aren't you…"

"No….please…."

"It has been….a while, since I've felt the flesh of a women" Dagur smirked as he arose from his seat, walking slowly towards Freana, a cocky and confident swagger in his stride. Freana tried to back away in terror, until her back came into contact with the chest of one of the Berserker soldiers. Dagur drew closer and closer, the smell of Mead and meat wrinkled the poor girls' nostrils. Dagur drew in close, taking in the scent of her skin and hair.

"Perhaps, I'll take you to my new chamber, and show you what it is like to be with a real man"

Dagur raised his hand, gently caressing the young girls' cheek. Fraena turned her head away, disgusted that this brute would even touch her. Dagur snarled and viciously grabbed Freana by the neck, hoisting her up into the air. Freana scratched and clawed at his hands, desperately trying to loosen his grip, but the Berserker chief was strong, too strong for her.

"It's not polite to ignore your host; or to be rude to your host" Dagur snarled, tightening his grip on Fraena's throat.

"My Lord Dagur, you have a visitor"

Dagur smirked, dropping the girl to the floor as the doors to the palace flew open. A little bit longer, and he could have snapped the girls' neck like a twig. Fraena crawled away, sobbing loudly as Dagur watched one of his men run up the steps towards the throne.

"Well let's not be…bad hosts" Dagur winked at Freana, who placed her head in her lap and cried quietly, "Please, show him in"

The soldier bowed before quickly taking off back down the stairs. Dagur wandered over to the ledge overlooking the lower sections of the palace, his eyes fixed firmly on the palace doors. From the corner of his eye, he caught sight of his archers, each of them waiting with their bows drawn. The moment Hiccup entered the palace, he was a dead man. Dagur rested his hands on the wooden railings, the smile growing across his face as the doors creaked open.

But it wasn't Hiccup that entered the room; it was his man from a few moments earlier, a gaunt expression across his face, his skin white a sheet.

"What's going on here? What's the meaning of this" Dagur bellowed across the room, his voice echoing off the high walls and ceiling. The Berserker soldier took a few shaky steps forward, before falling and collapsing to the ground with a thud. Dagur's eyes narrowed in rage when he saw blood trickling across the floor, and the knife embedded in his soldiers back.

"WHAT IN THE NAME OF ODIN IS…!?"

"DAGUR!"

The Berserker chief was silenced as his name was screamed across the room. The source of the cry was standing at the entrance to the palace, his hood pulled low across his brow, his weapon drawn and a fire in his eyes. Dagur smirked, crossing his arms in the most sarcastic fashion imaginable.

"Well, well, well. Looks like I was wrong about Hiccup. As it turns out, he sends his brother to do his dirty work"

Thorin whipped the hood from over his head, his face contorted in fury. He was as angry as a bull, his cheeks flushed and a sparkle of utter ferocity in his usually calm eyes.

"So what brings the great warrior Thorin to my city?"

"This is not your city Dagur" Thorin spat, pointing his blade towards Dagur, "How dare you occupy this hall, how dare you sit on that throne. Did you honestly think I would let you get away with hurting Imogen and threatening my family? I've been tracking you for three days, watching your every move, and when I crossed paths with your messenger, you signed your own death warrant. Now where is she?"

"And now Hiccup will come prancing in here to rescue you, Mwuahahahaha, then, finally, I will have my revenge on that little twerp. This plan is working out far easier than I thought" Dagur cackled in joy.

"Hiccup doesn't know I'm here Dagur, he doesn't know where I am. I vowed to keep him safe and I will not let you hurt him again, I would sooner die than let that happen, and if you so much as try to get to him, it will be the last thing you ever do in this world"

"And you can spare me your threats, you cretin, I've got your vastly outnumbered. One wrong move and you may get your wish. I will have my men put you down…" Dagur scowled. The sound of bow strings tightening reverberated around the palace, "…permanently"

"Where is she?" Thorin muttered as he walked to the centre of the room. Dagur raised his hand in the air, his archers tightening their bow string even further, ready to fire on his command.

"Where is who?" Dagur answered sarcastically.

"Where…is…she…?" Thorin whispered again, just loud enough so the Dagur could hear the menace in his words.

"Terribly sorry, but I'm not entirely sure who…"

"WHERE IS SHE!?"

Dagur watched in amusement as Thorin screamed towards him. His face was glazed, his lips pursed together and his eyes unblinking. At that moment, if his eyes were a weapon, the piercing look towards Dagur could have easily put him on his own funeral barge.

"You must mean Jarl Elisif. Oh she is quiet safe I assure you" Dagur clicked his fingers, and merely seconds later, two of his soldiers scrambled towards the front of platform, dragging a nearly unconscious Elisif behind them. Thorin felt his blood boil as Dagur smirked with pride at his handiwork. Dagur's guards hauled Elisif up under her armpit, her head flopping like a rag doll. Her clothes were torn and covered in fifth, her hair knotted and dirty. Several bruises had appeared on her face, blood trickled from her temple down her cheek, staining her skin a dark crimson before dripping from her chin onto her blood stained garments.

"DAGUR YOU SON OF A WHORE, I'LL KILL YOU FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE. FUS….GAHHHHHHH!"

Thorin suddenly cried out in pain, dropping his sword to the ground with an almighty clang. His face was twisted and contorted in pain, his chest puffed out and his arms falling backwards, drawing his shoulder blades together, right across the arrow now embedded into his shoulder. Dagur cackled insanely as Thorin collapsed to his knees, hissing through his teeth as the pain ravaged his flesh.

"I tried to warn you Thorin. It is never wise to threaten me, especially when you have no escape plan" Dagur laughed, walking slowly down the stairs. Thorin was now on all fours, his eyes slammed shut and his jaw clenched. The pain from the arrow was radiating across his back, convulsing his muscles in agony. Through the pain barrier, Thorin lifted his head and opened his eyes, staring at Dagur as he strutted towards him.

"You…you won't win this fight Dagur…I swear to the gods…I will kill you…" Thorin was struggling to get the words out, sharp stabs of pain interrupting his sentences. Dagur reached the bottom of the stairs, kneeling down in front of Thorin. Grabbing a tuft of his hair, Dagur yanked hard, brining Thorins face level with his own.

"You can try"

Dagur picked up Thorins sword from the ground, turned the handle round in his hands, and with a quick and hard blow, slammed the hilt into Thorins temple. The older Viking became limp, slipping to the ground in unconsciousness. Dagur got back to his feet, tossing the sword aside with a clatter.

"Send him to the dungeons, double the guard; he is not to leave this city alive"

"May I make a suggestion my Lord?"

Dagur turned to face the stairs just as a strange looking women reached the top. Her skin was a dingy shade of yellow, large dark circles under each of her eyes and shoulder length grey hair.

"Who are you?"

"My name is Elenwen, the Thalmor ambassador to Skyrim. This man had long been…an acquaintance of mine" Elenwen looked down at the unconscious Thorin on the floor, "He has caused many problems for me in the past, meddling in the political affairs of my government."

"Is there a point to this?" Dagur grunted.

"Allow me to handle this man as a prisoner of the Thalmor. Our embassy is just north of here, I can have him transported and locked up within half a day"

Dagur looked down at Thorin with smug satisfaction; a small trickle of blood ran across the floor from the arrow still embedded in his back.

"Very well, but do not kill him, he may still be useful to me"

* * *

Jarl Balgruuf had been true to his word, and after a short two hour ride, Hiccup found himself standing at the entrance to yet another tomb. He really was growing tired of delving underground, fighting undead creatures and looking for ancient artefacts. He had spent almost the entire ride to the tomb thinking about Berk.

His heart ached at all the things he was missing, the smell of the grass fields in the early morning dew, the rush of the wind on his face on his morning flight with Toothless, and the love and care he was blessed to receive from Astrid every day. Hiccup fumbled in his pocket, the ring box slipping between his fingers. Gods how he wished had had proposed before he left, all the more reason to get home as quickly as he could.

Hiccup tied his horse to a nearby tree and walked towards the tomb. He could see torch light coming from the cave like entrance and a few faint voices echoing against the stone walls.

"Great, here we go again" he muttered to himself. Slowly, he drew Nethersbane, and took the first few steps into the tomb. The walls glistened with moisture against the torch lights, various carvings and statues lined the passage. The sound of the voices grew louder and louder as Hiccup stepped further into the tomb.

_"__These thralls of yours are slower than Argonians in a blizzard"_

_"__Feel free to grab a pick and help them out. I prefer not to sully myself with manual labour"_

Suddenly, a horrible cry rang out though the passageway. Hiccup froze as the sounds of the cry and the clashing of steel and iron grew louder in his ears. It was a fight, no doubt about it. But just as soon as he heard the sounds, they vanished, leaving him again in silence.

_"__There goes another one"_

_"__Bah. Weak-willed rabble. Even dead they're almost useless"_

_"__They seem less intelligent each time you raise them, if that's even possible"_

_"__As long as they can swing a pickaxe where I tell them, they're as smart as we need them to be"_

Hiccup slowly crept along the passage, staying as close as he could to the walls, he didn't want to fall into any more traps like he had in Bleak Falls Barrow. As he rounded the corner, the source of the voices came into view, 2 men standing beside a hole in the ground. The first man was dressed entirely in a black robe, the hood pulled up so Hiccup couldn't see his face, swinging a pick axe into the dirt.

The other man wore a similar looking robe, but a dark shade of purple rather than black, dragging something away from the hole. Hiccup looked closer, and his blood ran cold. It was a dead Draugr, the same sort of creature he had killed in Bleak Falls Barrow, the same grey skin and bones sending a shiver down his spine.

Hugging the shadows, Hiccup got as low as he could so the two men wouldn't see him, better to use stealth to get past them rather than fight. The passageway snaked round another corner to his left, if he could just get past them without being seen…

_CLANG!_

Hiccup froze, the noise attracting the attention of the two hooded men.

"You hear that? The others must have found something!" said the first man, dropping his pick axe into the dirt.

"We'd better go see. These can tend to themselves for a few minutes" said the second man, laying the corpse of the Draugr on the floor. The two men walked down the passage way and disappeared around the corner. Hiccup emerged from the shadows, letting out a small sigh in relief. Slowly but surely, he continued his way down the passage way, being careful to avoid going to close the body of the dead Draugr. Thankfully, the air didn't smell nearly as foul as it had in the Helgen Caverns or Bleak Falls Barrow, and he soon found out why.

The end of the narrow passage had been broken open, rubble and dust scattered across the ground, and opened up into an absolutely massive underground cavern. Hiccup stood and started in awe at the sheer size and magnitude of the place, he had never seen anything like this before. Stairways as far as the eye could see led further down into the cavern. Pots of treasure lined the balcony like walkways. Huge stalactites hung from the roof, the minerals glistening like tiny gem stones. Hiccup could hear the sound of running water below. Peering over the ledge, he gazed upon a sight that nearly made him vomit.

Around 20 bodies were lying on the ground, pools of blood staining to the stone floors. Discarded weapons littered the chaotic seen, each one covered in blood. Hiccup felt his knees go weak, stumbling backwards until he collided with the wall. His stomach was turning in knots, his heart pounding in his chest.

"Okay…calm down Hiccup…you can do this…"

Exhaling loudly, Hiccup pushed himself back to his feet. Steadying himself, he began to walk down the first flight of stairs. He passed room after room of treasures as he descended deeper into the cavern. Chests of gold, bags of silver pieces and rubies, he could pocket enough gold here to be set for life. Hiccup stopped around halfway down the stairways to catch his breath. Looking up, he saw how far he had climbed.

"Come on Hiccup…keep going…keep going…"

Still panting with exhaustion, Hiccup continued down the steps until finally he reached the bottom. The dead bodies littered round him made his knees go weak once more. The smell of blood was horrific. Hiccup pulled his shirt over his nose and mouth to block to block the putrid smell, which didn't work very well. Tiptoeing his way around the bodies, Hiccup stood before a large metal gate, but couldn't see any levers or switches to open it.

"Great, now what"

Three stones were lined up in front of the gate. As Hiccup walked towards the first stone, it suddenly began to glow red. Hiccup placed his hand gently against the stone, as the rock glowed and hummed loudly. As he walked towards the second stone, it also began to hum and glow, and sure enough, so did the third. The gate slowly rose up, clearing the pathway ahead.

"Incredible, who designed these things?" Hiccup said in wonder as he walked towards the gate, but just as he approached, the glow from the stones disappeared, the gate juddered before slamming back down into the ground. Hiccup jumped backwards to avoid being impaled by the sharp spikes on the base of the gate.

"Right, not a good plan"

Hiccup racked his brain, how was he going to get passed. Maybe find a way around? No that would take too long. Maybe he could blast the gate open with his Unrelenting Force shout, no, that could attract more Draugr.

"Come on Hiccup, think…think…"

Then suddenly he had an idea. He remembered one of the shouts Arngeir had taught him back at High Hrothgar, Whirlwind Sprint, which let him run at incredible speeds, but only for a matter of seconds.

But it was the only plan he had. Hiccup slid Nethersbane back into its scabbard and walked back between the stones, which once again began to glow. As he reached the first stone, he quickly turned and began running as fast as he could at the gate. The three stones exploded into a bright light, the gate raising open once again. Hiccup took a deep breath as his feet pounded the stone as he ran at the gate:

**_"_****_WULD NAH KEST!"_**

The force of the shout shot Hiccup forward, his neck and head snapping back as he flew towards the gate. The iron began to shake once more, and with an almighty clank, began to fall back to the ground. Hiccup drew closer and closer to the gate, shutting his eyes tightly, half expecting to feel his head and shoulders being impaled by the gate as it fell.

But the only thing he heard was an ear splitting clatter behind him as the gate fell back into position. Slowly, Hiccup opened his eyes, squinting around at steps of the passageway he now found himself in.

He had made it.

"Fweh, that was too close" Hiccup chuckled to himself, whipping the beads of sweat from his forehead. As he began to climb the steps, He could see a light up ahead. But it wasn't a torch light, it was day light. Hiccup started bounding his way up the stairs until at last, he stood before the tomb.

The stone lid was covered in carvings and writings that Hiccup couldn't read. Four stone pillars rose from each corner of the casket, each one emblazoned with a Dragon head sculpture. Two ceramic burial pots stood in front of the crypt, and sure enough, just as Arngeir had told him, a stone fist rising out of the centre, clutching the horn in its grasp.

But Hiccup didn't reach out and claim the horn for one very good reason. The horn wasn't there. In its place was a scrap of parchment. Hiccup reached up and pulled the parchment from the stone, brushing off the small coating of dust as he unravelled it and began to read;

_Dragonborn_

_I need to speak to you. Urgently_

_Rent the attic room at the Sleeping Giant Inn in Riverwood, and I'll meet you._

_\- A Friend_


	21. Chapter 21 - A Blade in the Dark

Hiccup rode hard towards the ever growing view of Riverwood. He wasn't sure how long he had stood in the tomb and stared at the note in his hands before crumpling it into a ball and tossing it aside. He couldn't believe it, he had gone all that way, nearly been killed by treasure hunters and Draugr alike, to find that someone had already beaten him to the horn.

As he rode into town, he kept his eyes peeled for any sign of Ralof. It had been over a week since the attack at Helgen, and he honestly missed his new friends' companionship. Whilst Thorin was missing, Hiccup figured he could use a travelling companion. Whilst he couldn't see Ralof anywhere, he did catch sight of Gerdur exiting the wood mill, a small stack of logs clutched under her arm.

As he approached, Gerdur noticed him coming, her face broke into a wide smile as he pulled up on his horse and slipped from the saddle.

"It is good to see you again" Gerdur exclaimed happily, walking up and wrapping her arms around Hiccup, hugging him tight. Hiccup was more than obliged to return the hug.

"And you as well"

"You look exhausted" Gerdur commented, breaking the hug and examining Hiccup's ragged appearance

"Hmm, is that that obvious?" Hiccup chuckled, wandering over to nearby bench and plonking himself down. After hours of solid riding, it felt good to take the weight of his tired legs and body, "Is Ralof around?"

Gerdur sighed as she took a seat beside him, "No. He left for Windhelm four days ago to re-join his comrades"

"That's a pity; it would have been nice to see him"

"You and your brother had a great influence on him. He spoke for three days straight about the bravery and courage you showed at Helgen. I was meaning to thank you, for getting him out of there safely. I care for my brother very much; I don't know what I would have done without him"

"You're welcome. We wouldn't have made it out either if it weren't for Ralof" Hiccup smiled.

"Thank you. But I trust you didn't come here just to get reacquainted?" Gerdur asked.

"No I didn't. I need to get to the Sleeping Giant Inn"

"It's just up the road there" Gerdur pointed. Hiccup followed her finger until he saw the building at the end of the town, "I'll feed your horse for you whilst you go there"

"Thank you. I'll be back soon, this shouldn't take long"

Hiccup pushed himself up to his feet and started walking towards the Inn. It was a small building; it couldn't have had more than two or three rooms. Hiccup saw a young girl petting a large dog on the front porch; two men exited the building, staggering a little in the road, too much mead perhaps. Hiccup climbed the short steps to the front door off the Inn, pushing it open and stepping inside. A large fire pit crackled in the centre of the Inn, warming the room nicely. Hiccup could see a couple of patrons merrily chatting on one of the tables, clinking their goblets together and laughing. The walls were covered in shields and old swords, no doubt left as gifts by travellers who had stayed at the Inn. On the far side, he could see the tavern bar, barrels and barrels of mead and wine stored behind it. Gods he could use a drink.

Hiccup took a seat at the bar as a woman, cleaning a wooden mug with a dish cloth, came over to serve him.

"Good morning, I am the Inn Keeper, what can I get you sir?" the woman asked.

"Jug of mead and some bread please" Hiccup answered, rummaging in his pockets and tossing a few coins onto the bar. The woman gleefully scooped them up before pouring a large mug of thick brown mead and placing on the bar in front of him, before grabbing a loaf of bread from the shelf, placing it on a wooden plate and sliding it to the hungry Viking. Hiccup tore into the loaf, which was warm and doughy inside, but crisp and crunchy on the outside, stiffing it into his mouth with gusto.

"Well, you certainly have quiet an appetite on you" the woman chuckled as Hiccup devoured the bread, "Is there anything else I can get you"

"I would like to rent the attic room" Hiccup replied, his mouth still full of bread. He placed the loaf back onto the plate and grabbed his mead, taking a hearty swig. It tasted like cinnamon and sesame, nothing like the brew he was used too, which was always in truth rather flat.

"Attic room, eh? Well...we don't have an attic room, but you can have the one on the left for 10 gold pieces"

Hiccup reached into his pocket again, pulling out a small pouch and handing it to the Inn Keeper, who smiled broadly as she jangled the coin purse in her hand, "Thank you, make yourself at home"

After a few more healthy glugs of mead, Hiccup finished his bread before heading towards his room. The door was already open as he approached; a single bed, chest and wardrobe adorned what would have otherwise been a pretty boring place to stay. Hiccup tossed his satchel onto the bed and gazed out the window at the mountains looming in the distance.

_CLUNK!_

Hiccup jumped slightly as the door closed behind him. As he turned around, he was shocked to see that the Inn Keeper had followed him into the room, and was proceeding to lock the door from the inside.

"Uh, what's going on here, who are you?" Hiccup demanded, his hand slipping down to grip the handle of Nethersbane.

The Inn Keeper slid a key into her pocket before turning to face him.

"So, you're the Dragonborn I've been hearing so much about. I think you're looking for this"

The woman reached into her robes, and pulled out an elaborate looking horn, it curved ebony coloured design covered in menacing looking spikes. Hiccup reached out and took the horn from the woman.

"We need to talk. Follow me"

The woman walked over to the wardrobe and flung open the doors. Hiccup watched in astonishment as she pushed on the boards at the back of the wardrobe, which vanished into the walls, revealing a hidden staircase. The woman disappeared down the stairs, her footsteps echoing through the room. Hiccup peeked around the edge of the wardrobe, and saw the stairs lead to a secret underground basement filled with training dummies, weapon racks, and a planning table. Cautiously, Hiccup followed the woman down the steps.

The room he arrived in was cold, much colder than the warm Inn above them. The large wooden table stood in the centre of the room, covered in maps, charts, scrolls and books. A smaller stone table stood in the corner, a small flame heating a pestle, green steam rising from the concoction inside. The weapons racks mounted each of the four walls, containing enough weaponry and armour to outfit an entire battalion. Hiccup was growing more and more nervous by the moment as the woman walked to the far side of the table, turning to face him as he approached.

"Now we can talk. The Greybeards seem to think you're the Dragonborn, I hope they're right"

"Sorry, but I'm…I'm supposed to be meeting someone here…." Hiccup began.

"I hope you're just playing dumb," the woman replied crossing her arms, "I'm the one who left the note in Ustengrav. Surprised? I guess I'm getting pretty good at my harmless innkeeper act" the woman chuckled.

"Why did you take the horn from Ustengrav?"

"I knew the Greybeards would send you there if they thought you were Dragonborn. They're nothing if not predictable"

"Listen, I'm not sure I should even be talking with you, I don't even know who you are. Why all the cloak and dagger stuff?" Hiccup said tentatively

"My name is Delphine, and you can't be too careful, Thalmor spies are everywhere these days"

"And….what do you want with me?" Hiccup asked sternly. Delphine raised an inquisitive eyebrow.

"Listen, I didn't go to all this trouble on a whim. I already gave you the horn. I'm actually trying to help you. I just need you to hear me out"

Hiccup eyed Delphine from head to two. He remembered something Thorin had told him when they first arrived in Skyrim, "_Be careful who you trust brother"_, how could he be sure that this woman was on his side, and not just another ploy by Dagur.

"Go on. I'm listening" Hiccup replied bluntly, finally taking his hand of the hilt of Nethersbane.

"Like I said in my note, I've heard that you might be Dragonborn. I'm part of a group that's been looking for you...well, someone like you, for a very long time. If you really are Dragonborn", Delphine rested her hands on the planning table, casting her eyes across the mass of papers strewn across the surface.

"Why would you be looking for me?"

"It's these damn dragons!" Delphine replied angrily, shoving a picture of a crudely drawn dragon onto the floor, stomping on the page with her boots, "They aren't just coming back to Skyrim, they're coming back to life"

"What do you mean coming back to life?" Hiccup asked. He was very confused by all this.

"They weren't gone somewhere all these years. They were dead, killed off centuries ago by my predecessors. Now something's happening to bring them back to life, and I need you to help me stop it"

"That's impossible, what makes you think dragons are coming back to life?" Hiccup blurted out, "I really don't have times for these jokes of yours. I'm done here" Hiccup turned to walk back up the stairs to the Inn, but the secret door slammed closed before he could even make it up the first step.

"I can't just let you walk out of here, knowing what you know. I don't think they are coming back to life, I know they are. I've visited their ancestral burial mounds and found them empty" Delphine reached down under the table, pulling up a stone slab and dropping it on the table. Hiccup's eyes almost popped out of his head in surprise, it was the Dragonstone, the map that he and Thorin had found in Bleak Falls Barrow.

"It was you; you were the one at Whiterun when I gave that map to Farengar?"

Delphine nodded before lowering her gaze to the map. Several crossed had been carved across the paper, some circled and others just crosses. Delphine quickly scanned the map before placing her finger on one of the crosses, "And I've figured out where the next one will come back to life"

"What, do you know how crazy this sounds?!"

Delphine snickered, "Ha. A few years ago, I said almost the same thing to a colleague of mine. Well, it turned out he was right and I was wrong"

"So what do you need me for?"

Delphine slide the Dragonstone across the table. Hiccup placed his hand on top of it just before it slid off the edge. He'd forgotten how cold the stone was, even after nearly 5 days since they had taken it out of the caverns.

"We're going to go there, and you're going to kill that dragon. If we succeed, I'll tell you anything you want to know"

"What? No, not again" Hiccup stammered, running his hands through his scalp, clutching at his hair in despair.

"What's the matter?" Delphine asked

"I made a promise to myself years ago, that I would never kill a dragon. I've already broken that promise once, I can't do it again"

Delphine stared at Hiccup in disbelief, her mouth slightly agape.

"Are you serious? This can't be true, a Dragonborn that won't kill dragons? Hundreds, no, thousands of people will die if those dragons come back to life. Don't you want to stop that?"

"Of course I do, but there has to be another way" Hiccup was almost pleading with Delphine for another solution, but the Inn Keeper was stubborn.

"There is no other way, you must see that. I don't know what experience you've had with dragons in the past, but they are vile, evil creatures, and they will kill anyone who crosses their path. So I'll ask you this, are you prepared to let innocent people die because of your insecurities, or will you fight back?"

Hiccup knew deep down that Delphine was right, there was no other way. Every fibre of his being prayed that there was, but there wasn't. He did not want any more innocent blood on his hands, his mind racing back to the devastating scenes from Helgen, the charred bodies lying all around him. Men, women and children had all perished that day. He couldn't sit back and let something like that happen again.

"So…" Hiccup stepped closer to the table, drawing Nethersbane and placing it on the map, "…where are we headed"?

* * *

Everything was starting to unravel. One of her closest friends, someone she thought she could count on to help them fight, had betrayed her. Another chief was making outlandish demands which they could never meet, under the threat that he would fight against them if they didn't. The situation was spiralling out of control, and to top it all off, the man she loved was not standing by her side.

Astrid flopped back down her chair, rubbing her eyes in frustration. She prayed to the gods that Valka could talk Camacazi around and convince her to help them. If anyone could make her see sense, it would be Valka.

Astrid gaze wandered across the table to where Heather was sitting. Her friend hadn't spoken a word since the meeting had started. Leaving her seat, Astrid walked around the table, placing her hand gently on Heathers shoulder.

"And what about you Heather? Will you help us?" Astrid asked. For the first time since they entered the hall, Heather looked up from her blank stare at the table. Astrid saw the look of despair on her face, her bloodshot eyes still wet with tears.

"Of course we will help; those bastards need to pay for what they have done" Heather replied, forcing a weak but noticeable smile.

"Thank you" Astrid smiled back, squeezing her shoulder softly.

"We are still outnumbered. They could have 10,000 soldiers, maybe more, what do we have? 2,000 at most" Ivarr commented.

"Numbers don't win a war Ivarr, strategy and planning does" Eret countered.

"You can't deny we are not in the best stance here"

"You are both right" said Astrid, walking in-between the two chiefs, resting her knuckled on the table, "We need careful planning and strategy if we want to have any chance of winning this war…but we need more soldiers"

"There are none, everyone who had volunteered to help us is in this room" Fishlegs quipped. Astrid looked from face to face of everyone gathered around the table, meeting the same expression. She knew, deep down in her heart, that they couldn't win this war. Not with the forces they had. Standing up straight, Astrid looked out of the window of the great hall at the blue expanse of sky stretching off into the distance.

"There is only one more person who can help us….We need Hiccup back"

The others around the table murmured their agreement quietly to themselves.

"Astrid, he's half a world away" said Valka

"Aye, and we have no way of contacting him. Even if we did, how would we even find him?" Gobber added

"I don't know, but right now, we need him here. He needs to be home"

Snotlout let out a rather indiscreet grunt from across the table, drawing a glare from Astrid, almost as if he were saying _'See, I told you so'_. Astrid looked to the companion soldiers guarding the main entrance of the hall.

"Surely there must be a way, any way we can get a message to Hiccup?"

"I'm sorry Lady Astrid, but without a map, the only way to get to Skyrim would be to let the stars guide them, and I'm sad to say that none of us possess such a skill"

"No one has" Astrid replied glumly

"Uh…Astrid" Fishlegs raised his hand slightly, "That isn't entirely true"

Every pair of eyes in the room quickly rested on Fishlegs. Astrid pushed herself up straight, walking quickly across to Fishlegs, her gaze never leaving her friend.

"What are you saying Fishlegs?"

"Well…." Fishlegs reached into his satchel, pulling out several rolls of parchment and tossing them onto the table, followed by a strange triangular instrument. Astrid watched as Fishlegs unrolled the parchments, each one covered in diagrams and calculations and placed them carefully on the table. She had never seen anything like them before.

"What is all this stuff?" Snotlout asked, peering across the table to get a closer look.

"They're maps, but not just any maps, they're what I call star maps" Fishlegs said gleefully, unrolling the last piece of parchment and placing it carefully alongside the others.

"Star maps?" Gobber asked

"I was going over all the books in Bork's old library last week, and then I found these, hidden inside the cover page of an old copy of the dragon manual. They are maps of the sky, the stars, the moon, everything"

"Does anyone else have no clue about what he is talking about?" Ruffnut asked, an involuntary snicker escaping from Tuffnut at the same time. Fishlegs briefly scowled towards Ruffnut, before turning back to the maps.

"I looked over them again and again, then whilst I was rummaging through old boxes, I found this" Fishlegs grabbed the triangular device, holding it up so everyone could see it, "If I translated the maps and the text correctly, and the companions give me Skyrim's general direction, I think I can navigate there using these maps"

"Are you telling us that you can navigate just by using the stars?" Astrid asked almost dumbfounded.

"That's the idea. Bork called it _'Celestial Navigation'_, ohh, I'm getting all tingly just thinking about it" Fishlegs was almost jumping with joy. For the first time that week, Astrid actually felt like laughing, watching her giant friend bounce up and down like an excited child.

"This is it then, this is how we find Hiccup and bring him home. Prepare a ship!" Astrid called out

"Whoa, wait a minute Astrid" Gobber called back, "You can't leave as well, we need you here, planning for the war"

"If there is a chance that I can find Hiccup and bring him home, then that is what I'm going to do" Astrid spat back, making a beeline straight for the door.

"But you can't navigate by the stars. You'll be lost at sea, and then what?" Gobber replied calmly.

"Well someone has to go. I love Hiccup, so I'm going to find him"

The hall slowly became a beacon of noise as the Vikings began to argue. Fishlegs remained in his chair, watching them squabble and bicker about who should go to find Hiccup. Astrid seemed determined to leave, Gobber and Valka trying to talk her out of it. Eret and Ivarr squabbled with Snotlout about the number of soldiers they had, whilst the twins just argues with each other as they always did about something he couldn't quite make out, but no doubt something that was completely unrelated to the actual problem.

"I'll go" Fishlegs said, but the others continued to squabble, "I said, I'LL GO!"

The room fell, almost immediately, deathly silent as Fishlegs voice boomed throughout the hall. They had never heard him shout like that, his voice full of confidence and strength, instead of the familiar screams they had come to associate with him.

"Fishlegs…." Astrid said quietly, her eyes wide.

"Everyone knows I'm not the best warrior here, no good in battle or war. I can navigate to Skyrim using these maps, so I will go and find Hiccup and bring him home" Fishlegs stood from his seat, standing tall. He couldn't help but spot Ruffnut out of the corner of his eyes. Her face had suddenly become sullen with worry. Fighting back to flushing heat he felt in his cheeks, Fishlegs began to gather up the maps, stuffing them back into his satchel.

"But….Fishlegs…." Ruffnut struggled to get her words out, but this time not out of stupidity, but of genuine concern.

"No arguments, I'm going, you guys will plan the defence of Berk, end of story" Fishlegs finished, glancing a quick look at Astrid. A simple nod was all he needed from her, and received it, "Prepare a ship, I'll set sail at once"

* * *

The prison cart rumbled up the uneven cobble road towards a building at the top of the hill. The driver pulled back gently on the reigns to stop the cart from bouncing around too much as they approached the gate. A single guard ushered them through the open gates, which creaked closed as they passed by.

In the back of the cart, Thorin slowly opened his eyes, the impact from being hit with his own sword still made his head pound. The chains around his wrists and ankles were cold and rough, cutting into his skin painfully. All of his weapons and armoured had been taken away, replaced by dirty brown rags for clothes.

How could he have let this happen? He had walked right into Dagurs' trap; his rage had blinded him to the danger, and now, he may have put Elisif in danger. And Hiccup, he had promised him he would return, but he had been foolish, and now he was being carted to a Thalmor prison like a dog.

The cart slowed as it reached the stone steps leading up towards the main building of the embassy, a smaller flight of stairs next to them led downwards towards the small stream running parallel to the lower walls. Elenwen stood at the foot of the steps, flanked by two heavily armoured Thalmor guards awaiting their arrival. As the cart came to a halt, the guards grabbed Thorin roughly by the arms and hair, hauling him to his feet and dragging him from the cart.

"Well, well, well. What a turn of events this is" Elenwen smirked as the guards dragged Thorin in front of her, yanking on the back his hair so she could see his face.

"Elenwen" Thorin grunted as the guards pulled on his hair again, "A pleasure as always, I assume my usual suite is available"

Elenwen scowled at Thorin, his brash attitude had agitated her ever since she had first encountered him. The ambassador stepped forwards, striking Thorin hard across the face with her palm, leaving a distinctive and stinging red mark across his cheek.

"Do not get smart with me Thorin, if it were up to me, I would have you killed right here and now. But Lord Dagur wants you kept alive"

"Lord Dagur, so the usurpers words are law now? Since when did the Thalmor answer to anyone with such ease?" Thorin asked, spitting a small amount of blood onto the floor. The slap from Elenwen had cut the inside of his mouth, maybe even dislodged his teeth slightly.

"We have a common enemy, Dagur and I, and he has graciously allowed me to take you as a prisoner of the Thalmor. You have meddled in my affairs to many times"

"When you affairs mean the ransacking of villages, murdering innocent people just for political gain, then yes, I have, and I would gladly do it again"

Elenwen was almost shaking with rage, raising her hand and striking Thorin hard across the other cheek. She couldn't stand his cockiness and swagger, even here, being dragged before her in chains. The impact was so hard that she actually hurt her own hand.

"Get him out of my sight!" Elenwen barked turning and marching up the main stairs. The guards led Thorin down the smaller stairs, pushing him so aggressively that he lost his footing and tumbled down the steps, his head and ribs slamming against the hard stone floor with an audible crack. The guards cackled insanely as they hauled him back to his feet, marching him through a steel barred door into the embassy.

Prison cells lined every wall; a horrible dank and dirty smell filled the air around them. Torture devices were scattered throughout the dark dungeon, lit up only by the handful of weak torches on the walls and a slim ray of light coming through a window. Dried blood stains covered almost every surface of the cells, other prisons sat cowering in the corners as the guards hauled Thorin past them. A third guard stood at the entrance of an unoccupied cell, pulling open the door as they approached. With an almighty shove, Thorin flew forward into the cell, the chains on his ankles tripping him up as he thudded to the cold floor once more.

"This is where you belong outlaw, and this is where you will stay, from now, until the ends of the world" One of the guards cackled, spitting on the ground only a few inches away from Thorin, "I hope you enjoy your time here, because we certainly will enjoy having you"

The guards laughed again, slamming the door shut and turning the key, the lock clanking shut. Thorin crawled on his forearms towards the wall of his cell as the guards exited the dungeon, the outer door slamming shut and locking behind them as they left. The pain in his shoulder resonated through his body as he pushed himself into a seated position, the crude bandages doing nothing to ease the stabbing sensation he felt as his torn flesh moved between the stone walls and his shoulder blade.

The sun was slowly beginning to set thorough the one solitary window of the dungeon. It had been four days since he had left Hiccup at High Hrothgar, nearly a week since he had dragged his brother away from his home, away from everything and everyone he cared about. And now, sitting their locked in his prison cell, he could do nothing to protect him.

"I'm sorry Hiccup" Thorin whispered to himself, closing his eyes and resting his head against the wall. A small clang in the cell next to him made Thorin jump slightly. As he peered into the growing darkness, he could just make out the prisoner in the corner, his legs gripped tightly to his chest, rocking back and forth slowly.

"Hey, you there" Thorin asked gently. The prisoner winced at the words, lowering his head and keeping his eyes slammed shut.

"Please….I told you, I don't know anything else about it" the prisoner whimpered, quiet sobs echoing gently across the room. Thorin shuffled his way along the wall until he was sat next to the bars that divided the two cells, grimacing as fresh stabs of pain spread across his back.

"Calm down friend, I am not here to hurt you. I am a prisoner, just like you" Thorin held up the shackles around his wrists, the prisoner lifting his gaze slightly, looking from the shackles then to Thorin.

"What? Who...what do you want then?" The prisoner stammered.

"What is your name?" Thorin asked calmly. Clearly the man in the opposite cell was traumatised. Maybe he could calm him down.

"I'm….I'm Etienne" the man sniffed, whipping his nose with the filthy sleeve of his tunic, "Who are you?"

"My name is Thorin. Can I ask you a question Etienne? Why are you here?"

Etienne lowered his legs down, and slowly shuffled his way along the wall, sitting next to Thorin, the only thing separating them being the bars of their cells.

"They….they grabbed me in Riften. They seem to think I know something. They just kept asking me the same damn questions" Etienne spoke softly, his voice horse and quiet, no doubt from an intense thirst. Thorin could only imagine how little water the prisoners received down here.

"What questions?"

"They're after some old guy named Esbern. Something to do with dragons"

Thorin raised his brow curiously at the mention of dragons.

"Dragons, what about them?"

"I listen to them talk when they thought I was out. I've seen a guy in Riften who they seem to think is him. Not much to go on. I don't even know where he lives, or his name. But they seemed pretty excited about it"

"But what about the dragons?" Thorin pressed. He needed answers. If the Thalmor had something to do with the dragons, then Hiccup could be in mortal danger.

"I don't know, that's all I heard" Etienne replied, pulling his legs back up against his chest, tears rolling down his cheeks, "I've been here for nearly a year now, they….torture us…almost every day….I wish they would just kill me….I can't take it anymore"

Thorin watched as Etienne broke into tears again. After spending so long as a Thalmor prisoner, he could understand his despair. His clothes where covered from head to toe in blood and dirt, like they hadn't been cleaned for longer than Etienne had been wearing them. Scars ran across his arms and legs, no doubt from countless assaults by a torturers whip. It must have been hell to be trapped for so long.

"Hey, don't worry, we're going to get out of here" Thorin said reassuringly, but this did little to stem the sobs coming from Etienne.

"Don't be foolish….no one has ever escaped from here.…the only way out is in a pine box...nothing else….we're going to die down here" Etienne sobbed uncontrollably.

"No, we're not. Listen to me; we will get out of here. I promise, someone will come for us"

"Oh yeah…." Etienne stopped crying briefly, brushing the tears from his face, "…who?"

Thorin scanned the cells quickly, making sure that no guards were in ear shot of what he was about to say. He leaned in towards Etienne, whispering quietly into his ear.

"Have you ever heard of the Dragonborn?"

* * *

"Orgnar, I'm traveling. You've got the inn 'til I get back" Delphine called across the room. A man stood behind the bar of the Inn, raising his gaze as Delphine and Hiccup walked past, Delphine strapping her weapons belt around her waist.

"Right, Happy trails" replied Orgnar. Delphine pushed open the door of the Inn, holding it open for Hiccup to pass through.

"Do you have a horse?" Delphine asked as the pair descended the steps of the Inn.

"Yes, my friend is feeding it just down the road" Hiccup replied, pointing towards the saw mill.

"Good, go and fetch it and meet me back here"

Hiccup nodded as he turned and walked back down the road. As he approached the saw mill, he saw Gerdur stroking his horses' mane, whispering quietly to him. Hiccup couldn't help but smile at the affection she was showing.

"Seems like you two have bonded quiet well" Hiccup chortled as he approached. Gerdur smiled back to him, holing a carrot in her hand and feeding it to the stead.

"He is a gentle creature, you are lucky to have such a loyal friend"

"I know, back home, my best friend, Toothless, he is always…." Hiccup bit his tongue to stop himself from finishing his own sentence. He wasn't used to hiding the truth about Toothless, about his life back on Berk; he had always taken pride in his accomplishments with the dragons. But here, in this place, he had to keep his life a secret.

"Toothless?" Gerdur raised her eyebrow inquisitively, "That's an odd name don't you think?"

"No stranger than Hiccup I guess"

"I suppose not" Gerdur laughed as she unhooked the horse's reigns from the post and handed them to Hiccup.

"Thank you Gerdur, for everything you've done for me"

"Good luck Hiccup, I hope you find Thorin soon"

Hiccup nodded, pulling on the reigns gently to lead his horse back towards the Inn. He quickly placed his foot into the stirrups, hauling himself into the saddle. Delphine was climbing into her own saddle as he drew up beside her.

"Kynesgrove is a few hours ride from here. We'll cross the White River and follow it to Windhelm. Then we can swing south. I hope you're Dragonborn, I really do. But we'll find out soon enough. We may both end up dead, but at least it gets me out of Riverwood. I don't really think I'm cut out for the quiet life. I doubt the Thalmor are aware of you yet, so we should be safe from them at least"

"Well not's waste any more time then, come on" Hiccup replied, kicking his heels into his horses' hind. The stead reared backwards, neighing loudly before galloping off towards the small bridge leading away from the town. Hiccup gripped the reigns tightly as they sped along, he could hear Delphine galloping just behind him.

The road twisted and turned through the forest and fields. The light clouds from earlier that morning had almost completely gone, leaving a bright blue sky in their wake, the mid afternoon sun streaming down on his face. The wind rushed through his hair as the pair rode faster and faster. To his left, Hiccup looked up at the mountain, the familiar snow-capped peaks rising into the sky. He couldn't see High Hrothgar, but he wondered if Thorin had eventually gone back there. For hours the pair rode, eventually crossing the bridge over what Hiccup assumed was the White River, and after another hour of hard riding as the sun slowly started to set behind the mountains, the village of Kynesgrove appeared in the distance.

"We're here" Delphine called out as they passed through the gates to the village, pulling up next to a small farmhouse. Hiccup dismounted, patting his horse gently on the neck and tying the reigns to the posts on the side of the building. Following Delphine into the centre of the village, Hiccup noticed something.

It was quiet

Very quiet

"Where is everybody?" Hiccup asked. The streets were completely deserted, no lantern lights flickering in the windows, no traders selling their goods, nothing. It was the middle of the day, every other village he had been too had been busy, loud and colourful, but here, the only noise they could hear was the distant flow of the river.

"Something's wrong here" Delphine commented, slowly drawing a cured blade from the holster on belt. Slowly, the two made their way through the village. Every house looked completely abandoned, a huge pile of logs sat untouched by their saw mill. Hiccup slowly drew Nethersbane; he didn't want to be caught out here, especially if there might have been a dragon nearby.

Suddenly, the door of what looked like a longhouse burst open, taking both Hiccup and Delphine by surprise. A young woman sprinted out of the building, clutching a small bundle in her arms as she sprinted towards them.

"Hey, what's going on here?!" Delphine called to the girl as she sped past them.

"No, you don't want to go up there! A dragon...it's attacking! It flew over the town and landed on the old dragon burial mound. I don't know what it's doing up there, but I'm not waiting around to find out!" the woman shrieked. Hiccup and Delphine watched as the girl disappeared down the hill away from the village.

"Come on, Hurry, It might be too late"

Delphine sprinted up the hill towards what Hiccup could only assume to be the location of the burial mound. Hiccup took off after her, his prosthetic slipping slightly on the dusty trail. A large group of rocks lined the pathway up ahead. Delphine crouched down behind it, peering over the craggy boulders, her eyes spreading wide in terror. Hiccup also peeked over the rocks, utterly stunned at what was transpiring before him.

A huge black dragon was hovering over a large mound of earth, uttering some strange language at the ground. Blue and white swirls of light flew into the air, casting a brilliant glow across the orange twilight skies.

**_"Sahloknir! Ziil gro dovah ulse!"_**

"Oh my gods, I've seen that dragon before" Hiccup whispered to Delphine, keeping his voice as quiet as possible. If that dragon heard them cowering behind those stones, they would be in for one hell of a fight.

"Really, where?"

"It was the one that attacked Helgen, when Ulfric escaped from the Imperials"

"Lorkhan's eyes! Look at that big bastard! Keep your head down, let's see what it does" Delphine replied, ducking her head just low enough so she could see what was going on.

**_"Sahloknir! Ziil gro dovah ulse! Slen Tiid Vo!"_**

The dragons' voice rumbled through the air like a clap of thunder. For a few moments nothing else happened, but then, like a shot from the Red Death, the ground exploded, showering Hiccup and Delphine with dirt and scalding hot rocks. Hiccup crouched even lower to avoid the falling debris, as a low growling sound reached his ears.

"Steady. I don't know what's happening. Let's watch and wait. This is worse than I thought..."

Hiccup brushed the mud and stones from his face and hair, cautiously peering over the rocks once more. This was unbelievable, if he hadn't been watching what was unfolding with his own eyes he would never had believed it. But then, the most terrifying thing he had ever seen emerged from the ground.

A huge skeleton was slowly climbing to the surface, a long neck and tail swayed back and forth; the thing must have been well over 30 feet long. The skull lined with rows of razor sharp teeth, and huge bones spread wide like wings. Hiccup had no doubt in his mind.

It was a dragon skeleton, and it was alive again.

Hiccup watched in utter disbelief as the unholy being looked to the skies at the dragon hovering above. The beasts stared at each other, before the large black dragon began speaking again. From all around them, horrifying orange and red flecks began to materialise in the air, swirling around the skeletal dragon. The flecks began to attach themselves to the bones of the once deceased creature, slowing forming into flesh and muscle.

**_"Alduin, thuri! Boaan tiid vokriiha suleysksejun kruziik?"_**

**_"Geh, Sahloknir, kaali mir"_**

Hiccup put his foot against the stone, pushing himself a little further up to get a better view. But as he put more weight on it, the stone cracked, the small rocks thudding into the ground. The black dragon then reared its head towards the sound of the falling rocks. Hiccup quickly ducked his head down, but not quickly enough. The dragon growled towards the boulders, its eyes glowing red with rage.

**_"Ful, losei Dovahkiin? Zu'u koraav nid nol dov do hi"_**

"Dovahkiin….shit, he saw us" Delphine said quietly

"Damn it, what do we do now?" Hiccup asked, keeping as low to the ground as he possibly could.

"What choice do we have, we have to face it"

Hiccup knew that this plan was nothing short of crazy, but Delphine was right. They would never be able to outrun the dragon, let alone two of them; they would be cut down in a rain of fire and ash before they could escape. Hiccup silently prayed that the shouts and skills the Greybeards had taught him would be enough to at least let them survive this. Slowly, Hiccup got to his feet, walking slowly around the rocks, and face to face with the dragons. The black dragon continued to hover overhead, large a giant cloud in the middle of a storm.

**_"You do not even know our tongue, do you?"_** the black dragon suddenly spoke in perfect English.

"Wha….you…you can talk?" Hiccup stammered, his knees quaked in terror at the sight of the two creatures staring him down. Delphine drew her bow and quickly fired a shot towards the black dragon, who easily swerved in the air to avoid the shot

**_"Such arrogance, to dare take for yourself the name of Dovah. Sahloknir, krii daar joorre"_**

The black dragon flapped its powerful wings, blowing dust and dirt right into Hiccup's eyes, stinging them painfully. The beast soared into the sky, disappearing over the horizon in an instant. The grounded dragon snarled at Hiccup and Delphine, exposing its sword like teeth to them.

**_"I am Sahloknir! Hear my Voice and despair!"_**

"GET DOWN!" Delphine bellowed as the dragons' throat began to glow. Hiccup dived back towards the shelter of the boulders as a huge explosion of flame shot mere inches over his head. Hiccup gripped the handle of Nethersbane tightly, pressing his back against the rocks as the flames licked around the sides. He hadn't forgotten how intense the heat of dragon fire was, his battle at the western Watchtower had given him more than enough close hand experience with the danger he was once again in.

Hiccup had practiced with a sword in the last years, but he had never fought against a creature like this. He was sure the dragon would relish in melting the flesh off his bones at the first opportunity he could get. After what seemed like an age, the flames ceased. Hiccup listened closely; he could hear the thundering footsteps of the dragon as it lumbered its way towards him.

**_"Dovahkiin, your Voice is no match for mine!"_**

"WE CAN'T LET HIM TAKE OFF; WE'LL NEVER BEAT HIM IF HE'S IN THE AIR. KEEP HIM ON THE GROUND!" Delphine cried to Hiccup. This was it, he had to do something. Hiccup leapt from behind the rock, catching his balance as he turned to face the dragon. Taking a long, deep breath, Hiccup felt the power of his own Thu'um building up inside his. The energy flowed through his body like a shot of adrenaline, exploding from his throat like cannon fire.

**"FO KRAH DIIN"**

The shout blasted through the air, the bitter coldness tingling the back of Hiccups' throat as the icy force thundered towards the dragon. Thankfully, Hiccups aim had been true, as the shout struck the dragon directly between his eyes. The beast howled in pain at the impact, frost and ice sticking to his scales. Delphine drew another arrow, pulling tightly on the bow string before letting loose. The arrow whizzed through the air, thudding into the dragons' leg. The beats roared as the arrow pieced his skin, blood spurting from the wound onto the floor.

**_"Meyus joor, hi lorot tol hi vis viik zey. Foolish mortals, you think you can defeat me"_**

**"FUS ROH DAH"**

The impact from Hiccups second shout was even more devastating that the first, striking the dragon on the right hand side, sending it sprawling across the ground. Delphine fired arrow after arrow, each one hitting its target, piercing the dragons flesh again and again. The dragon tried desperately to scramble back to his stance, but each time he tried, was meet with a fresh wave of Unrelenting force from Hiccup and a flurry of arrows from Delphine.

**_"NO, YOU WILL NOT DEFEAT ME!"_**

Hiccup ducked back down behind the rocks as a second blast of fire singed the skin of his right arm. The white hot pain from the burns was unbearable, like dipping his hand into a burning hot pot of water. His skin blistered almost instantly.

"GAAAHHHHH!" Hiccup yelped in pain, dropping Nethersbane into the ground.

"ARE YOU OKAY!" Delphine called out, but Hiccup was in far too much pain to respond. He grit his teeth together so hard he thought for a moment they might shatter in his mouth. In a vain attempt to dull the pain, Hiccup gingerly touched his now scorched skin. It was red hot and tender to the touch, dark red marks oozed with blood.

"THAT BASTARD!" Hiccup yelled, the pain in his arm intensifying. How could they fight this thing? They had thrown everything they had at it, but the dragon still lived. There had to be something he could do.

Then it hit him, maybe there was something he could do.

"He wants to use fire….well so can I"

Hiccup picked Nethersbane up with this left hand, cradling his right against his body to protect it from further onslaught as the flames licked the rocks all around him. Patiently, he waited for the blast to stop, and then he would make his move. Sure enough, the flow of dragon fire stopped. This was his chance. Pushing hard against the stone with his good leg, Hiccup launched himself into the air. The dragon was taken completely by surprise as he watched Hiccup soar overhead, his shout raining down on the beat like a firestorm.

**"YOL TOOR SHUL"**

The flames from Hiccup shout crashed against the dragons back. The beats roared as the searing heat burnt his scales. Hiccup landed in front of the dragon, rolling forward to cushion the impact, Nethersbane at the ready. The dragon shook its head indignantly as the fire on his back cracked and popped, burning the thin membrane of his wings. The creature began to raise its head as Hiccup charged towards him, his blade lunging towards the dragon. The creature opened its jaws, a fresh batch of fire building up, but Hiccup reached him first.

With all the energy he had left, Hiccup plunged Nethersbane into the gaping jaws of the dragon, the blade piercing the soft flesh as the back of the creatures' throat. Blood flowed from the impact, instantly covering Hiccups arm with the dark, thick substance. The creature roared in pain as Hiccup pushed hard against the handle. With a sickening crunch, the blade drove farther into the creatures' throat, cutting through the solid bone at the back of the skull, the tip of the blade protruding from the crown of the dragons head. Hiccup held the blade firmly in place, a horrible rattling sound emanating from the beasts throat as the blood continued to flow.

At that brief moment, Hiccups eyes met with those of the dragon. He watched as the bright yellow glow receded, replaced by a dark glaze as the life of the creature ebbed away. As the huge head of the dragon began to drop to the ground, Hiccup pulled back hard, extracting both his arm and the blade before the giant jaws clamped down on him. The dragon fell limp, his huge frame slamming to the ground, throwing up a fresh cloud of dust and dirt.

But then, it was quiet once again. Delphine emerged from her hiding place as the dust cloud settled back onto the ground, Hiccup standing victorious over the dragons' now lifeless body.

"I'll be damned, you did it! That was well done. Come on. I've wanted a closer look at one of these buggers…."

Delphine stopped in her tracks as the dragons' body began to burn a flake away. Hiccup watched as the familiar blue and white glow shone all around him.

"Wait, what's happening...gods above!"

Ethereal threads shot into the air once more, wrapping themselves around Hiccup. He could almost hear the rush of the dragons' life force flowing into his body, the powerful sensation taking over so much that for a second he forgot about the pain in his scorched arm. But as quickly as the threads appeared, they began to fade, flowing around Hiccup like leaves in the wind, until the glow faded away, leaving nothing but the orange glow of the evening skies.

Delphine stepped up beside Hiccup, the pair of them staring down at the once again skeletal form of the dragon.

"So you really are…I…it is true isn't it? You really are Dragonborn. I guess I owe you some answers, don't I? Go ahead. Whatever you want to know. Nothing held back"

Hiccup whipped the blade of Nethersbane on a small patch of grass on the ground, cleaning most of the blood off before sliding it back into its scabbard. He turned to face Delphine, a resolute and stony expression on his face, one that made Delphine shift back a few uneasy steps. He had broken his promise to himself again. Two dragons were now dead because of him. He felt disgusted with himself for what he had done, like he had betrayed every morale principle he had ever had.

But deep down, the power he possessed almost awed him. It was an incredible feeling every time he absorbed the mystic powers. He didn't feel weak and frail when it happened, he felt strong, powerful, like nothing could hurt him. But this feeling was temporary, quickly replaced with the pain and guilt he felt gazing at the dead dragon.

"You're damn right you owe me some answers!" Hiccup snapped, edging a few steps closer to Delphine, "You said you were part of a group that's been looking for me. I want to know everything, who you are and what it is that you want from me. And no more lies, I want the truth and I want it now!"

"Well….I…uhm…" Delphine stammered, a little taken aback by Hiccups sudden outburst.

"Spit it out" Hiccup demanded

"I'm one of the last members of the Blades" Delphine finally blurted out, "A very long time ago, the Blades were dragon slayers, and we served the Dragonborn, the greatest dragon slayer. For the last two centuries, since the last Dragonborn emperor, the Blades have been searching for a purpose. Now that dragons are coming back, our purpose is clear again. We need to stop them"

"So why do you need me. If you are so good at slaying dragons, why not just do it yourself. Why did you have to drag me into this? I left my home because of this, so you better have a good reason"

"I didn't make you leave your home, so you can stop with the bitter tone!" Delphine spat angrily, "We used to be known across Tamriel as the protectors of the Septim Emperors. Those days are long gone, though. For the last two hundred years, we've been searching for the next Dragonborn to guide and guard, as we are sworn to do. But we never found one. Until now"

Hiccup felt a twang of shame. Delphine hadn't made him come here. It wasn't her fault.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have lashed out at you" Hiccup muttered apologetically.

"It's okay. I understand that everything that has happened is a lot to take in"

"So, what happens now?" Hiccup asked. Delphine put her hands ion her hips, dipping her head in quiet thought for a few moments.

"The first thing we need to do is figure out what's behind the dragons. The Thalmor are our best lead. If they aren't involved, they'll know who is"

"The Thalmor? There was a Thalmor at Helgen when it was attacked?" Hiccup replied, his mind casting back to that fateful day, the image of the elven Thalmor speaking with General Tulius raced through his mind, "How could they be brining dragons back to life?"

"My gut tells me it can't be anybody else. The Empire had captured Ulfric. The war was basically over. Then a dragon attacks, Ulfric escapes, and the war is back on. And now the dragons are attacking everywhere, indiscriminately. Skyrim is weakened, the Empire is weakened. Who else gains from that but the Thalmor?"

"So, we need to find out what the Thalmor know about the dragons. Any ideas?"

"I'm glad you're finally taking this as seriously as I am. If we could get into the Thalmor Embassy...it's the centre of their operations in Skyrim... Problem is, that place is locked up tighter than a miser's purse. They could teach me a few things about paranoia"

"I remember my brother talking about the Thalmor embassy, it's north of Solitude right?" Hiccup commented.

"Yes, we can come up with a plan on the way there, arrive under the cover of dark and take them by surprise if we have too. Let's go, but keep an eye on the sky. Something tells me that this is only going to get worse"

* * *

**Hey guys, once again thank you so much for your continued love and support of this fic. I will be taking a vacation from my job from mid December until early January, so I'm hoping I can have some serious writing time over the holidays.**

**And there we have it, out first encounter with Alduin. I know many of you have been craving an interaction between 'The World Eater' and Dagur, well have no fear, I'm am working on a plot that will hopefully bring the two into contact at some point. I'm not making any promises, but let's see what happens.**

**So Hiccup has killed another Dragon, what adventure awaits in the Thalmor embassy. Will Fishlegs make it to Skyrim, can Astrid stop the war. And what about Thorin, can he break out of the Thalmor dungeon?**

**Exciting times ahead, stay tuned**


	22. Chapter 22 - Diplomatic Immunity

"That's it! I figured out how we're going to get you into the Thalmor Embassy!" Delphine suddenly exclaimed. They had spent most of the ride towards the embassy in almost total silence, racking their brains for some kind of plan to infiltrate the embassy. From what Delphine had described, it was very well guarded, so strutting in through the front door was never really going to be possible.

"What do you mean 'Get me inside', aren't you coming too?" Hiccup asked

"That would be a bad idea. I'd be too likely to attract the wrong kind of attention. But they don't know you at all, not yet anyway"

"Fine" Hiccup grunted. He was beginning to question why everyone else's plans seemed to involve just him, "So, what's your plan?"

"The Thalmor ambassador, Elenwen, regularly throws parties where the rich and connected cosy up to the Thalmor. I can get you into one of these parties"

"Great, I could use a drink" Hiccup chuckled.

"Once you're inside the Embassy, you get away and find Elenwen's secret files in her study. I have a contact inside the Embassy. He's not up for this kind of high-risk mission, but he can help you" Delphine paused, pulling a skin of water from her satchel and taking a long gulp, whipping her mouth with gusto and returning the skin to her bag, "His name's Malborn. Wood elf, plenty of reason to hate the Thalmor. You can trust him"

"Are you sure? My brother warned me to be careful who I trust here" Hiccup replied sceptically

"Don't worry about Malborn. He's not a dangerous character like you, but he hates the Thalmor at least as much as I do"

"Why's that?" Hiccup asked

"He's a wood elf. The Thalmor wiped out his family back in Valenwood during one of their purges that we never hear about. Luckily they don't know who he really is, or he wouldn't be serving drinks at the Ambassador's parties"

"They killed his whole family? That's barbaric" Hiccup replied in disgust

"That's the Thalmor for you. Anyway, he usually spends his time in Solitude, but at the moment he is in Dragons Bridge, no doubt at the Four Shields Tavern"

Delphine reached back into her pouch, pulling out two scraps of parchment and a charcoal pencil, quickly scribbling a note onto one piece and a map onto the other

"Follow the map, it will take you straight to the Tavern, when you get there, give him the note, he will know what it means"

"Where are you going to go? Hiccup asked, reaching across and grabbing the map and the note, folding the note carefully into his pocket and examining the map.

"I'll go on ahead and procure the means for you to enter the party. When you are ready, meet me outside the embassy"

Delphine kicked her heels and took off further up the road. Hiccup watched as she disappeared into the distance, glancing back at the map she had drawn for him. It looked like he was pretty close to Dragons Bridge, maybe an hour away. As he stuffed the map into his pocket, he rounded the corner of the road, laying eyes once again on the city of Solitude far off in the distance. He found it strange that there were no torches lit on the city walls, the gates looked like they had been barred shut. Hiccup pulled lightly on the reigns, bringing his horse to a stop.

"Hmm, strange?"

The usual glow of the city was noticeably absent in the fading light. Last time he had been there, the locals would still be outside the city walls even at this hour, some still working, others watching their children play in the long grass.

Hiccup lingered for a few moments, debating whether he should go up to the city and investigate, maybe Thorin was up there.

"No, no more distractions" he said defiantly to himself, kicking his heels and galloping down the road once more, the city walls fading into the distance behind him. In what seemed like no time at all, Hiccup found himself pounding his was over the stone bridge into Dragons Bridge. He could already see where the name came from, the giant stone dragon skull looming over his head on the bridge was a bit of a give-away. The rush of the river water echoed far below as Hiccup pulled up outside the tavern, glancing up at the sign swinging gently in the wind.

_The Four Shields_

Climbing from his saddle, Hiccup quickly tied his horse to the mounting rail and headed for the front door. He could hear music playing inside; the sound of people laughing and joking was a welcome change to the screams of terror he had heard over the past few days. Pushing open the door, the warm air inside the tavern was a pleasant relief against the increasing chill of the evening air, the smell of cooked meats, bread and wine filled his nostrils. A large group sat at a table to his left, all drinking and laughing together. A few more serious patrons sat at a small table to his right, each clutching a collection of tokens in their hands, throwing down off looking scraps of parchment. Hiccup guessed it would be some kind of game. As he approached the bar, an elderly man turned to face him, setting down the cloth he was using to clean the shelves.

"Good evening young master, what can I get you this evening?" The old man chippered cheerily, picking up a clean mug and holding it under the mead barrel.

"Oh no, thank you, I'm just looking for a man called Malborn?"

The old man placed the glass down, looking rather dejected at a lost sale, and pointed over the far corner of the tavern. Hiccup turned and saw a man sitting alone at the far table, his hood pulled up over his head, covering most of his face.

"Thank you" Hiccup smiled to the old man before walking across the table, pulling out a chair and sitting down, "Are you Malborn?"

The hooded figure raised his head slightly, a glare across his face at the unwanted table guest.

"It depends who's asking, and unless you are planning to buy me some mead, I suggest you move on" he muttered threateningly. Hiccup reached into his pocket and pulled out Delphine's note, flattening out the folds in the paper on the table and sliding it over to Malborn. The elf eyed the note before picking it up, scanning the words quickly before looking back up at Hiccup. Malborn dropped the note on the table, slumping back into his chair.

"Really? You're who she picked?" Malborn laughed sarcastically, eying Hiccup from head to toe, his eyes coming to rest on Nethersbane for a few moments. Hiccup moved his hand to the hilt of his blade, wincing slightly as the bandages on his right arm rubbed against his burnt skin, "I hope she knows what she's doing"

"She does, believe me" Hiccup replied, taking his hand of Nethersbane as Malborn's gaze met his once again.

"Here's the deal. I can smuggle some equipment into the Embassy for you. Don't plan on bringing anything else with you. The Thalmor take security very seriously. Give me what you can't live without, and I'll make sure it gets into the Embassy. The rest is up to you"

"Okay" Hiccup stood from his chair and began removing his weapons belt, containing Nethersbane and his Axe of Whiterun, bow, quiver and armour, placing it all on the table in front of Malborn, "Anything else?"

"You're asking me?" Malborn snapped, "She promised that she was sending someone who knew what they were doing... If you actually want to get out alive, I'd bring whatever you need to move quietly, and kill quickly"

"Uhmm….kill" Hiccup swallowed thickly

"Yes, kill. The Thalmor won't hesitate to kill you if they think that something is up, so you will have to kill them first. Don't worry, plenty more of those bastards where they come from" Malborn hissed, a noticeable malice in his voice. Hiccup could feel himself starting to sweat, his heart racing increasing. This wasn't like the journeys into the tombs where all he had to fight were spiders and Draugr, if this all went wrong, he would have to fight his way out.

"Right…okay…" Hiccup took a few deep breaths to calm his nerves.

"Are you sure you're up for this, no point in going in that place if you're not?" Malborn asked, sitting back up in his chair, resting his arms on the table. Hiccup paused for a few seconds. Was he ready for this, probably not, he had never done anything like this before, pretending to be someone he wasn't. He'd never done any kind of acting before, how the hell was he going to pull this off. Did he have any other choice; it was becoming apparent that he didn't.

"I'm ready, let's go"

* * *

"What is taking them so long, does it really take this long to deliver a message!" Dagur crowed impatiently. He was not a fan of sitting around and waiting, he wanted action. It had been nearly a day since he had sent the message to Hiccup. It wasn't like the little runt not to respond to a distress call.

Dagur slumped into the Throne, twirling a dagger in his hand. All around him, the occupants of the Blue Palace still cowered in fear as his men lorded over them, laughing at their captive's apparent torment. Glancing down the steps to the lower part of the palace, s mug grin split across his face when he saw the blood stains on the ground.

"At least I don't have to worry about that meddling brother of his getting in the way" Dagur chortled to himself, happy in the knowledge that Thorin would be safely locked up by now. Honestly, he would have preferred to kill him, but now he had an ever greater bargaining chip to use against Hiccup than the people of this city. Now, he had his own flesh and blood locked away.

The sun was slowly starting to set out of the window. For the first time since his arrival in Skyrim, Dagur let his mind wander back to his plans for Berk. His fleet would have landed by now, and with any luck, they had already captured the Island. But if he knew one thing about Berk, and the wretched people he despised who lived there, they would put up a fight to defend their home. But no matter, by his schedule, that meant they only had 6 days left until they could legally invade the Island.

"Soon, oh so soon, all of Berk, and their dragons, will be mine. You better come soon Hiccup. Wouldn't want anything to happen to your precious home now would we" Dagur snickered, tossing the knife onto the small table beside the Throne.

Rising from the chair, Dagur strolled past one of the groups of captive men, each one being mercilessly beaten by his soldiers.

"Why can't you all just do as your told, then we wouldn't have to beat you" Dagur mustered to himself as he approached a door leading from the palace to the city walls. Pushing open the door, the cold evening chill sent a small shiver down his spine. He had ordered all the city lamps to be extinguished, resulting in the cold sweeping in much more than usual. His sentries were shivering in the falling temperatures, watching their breath hang in the air like smoke.

"Any sign of him?" Dagur asked the first sentry he saw.

"Nothing yet sir" The sentry replied.

"Keep looking, he's out there somewhere, I can feel it"

"That may just be the cold sir" The sentry replied. Dagur scowled at the snide comment, marching off further up the wall. Gazing out into the distance, the silhouette of the mountains rising into the sky, Dagur watched for any sign of movement, anything that might be Hiccup.

"SIR! OVER HERE!"

Dagur ran along the wall to the sentry who had called out, who was peering through a spyglass towards the edge of the forest.

"Have you found him?"

"Out there sir"

Dagur snatched the spyglass and pushed the sentry violently out of the way, raising it to his eye. Sure enough, far off in the distance, he could make out a single rider heading away from the forest. Whilst he couldn't see his face in the low light, the glint off a metal foot told him all he needed to know.

"Yes…..Yes…we've got him. Prepare the trap" Dagur ordered, tossing the spyglass back to the sentry, "The second he gets within range of the archers, we take him down"

Dagur rubbed his hands together in glee. At last, his plan had worked. Hiccup was wandering to his death and there was nothing anyone could do to stop it. Finally, he would have his revenge.

"Uh…sir…"

"What is it now?!" Dagur barked as the sentry peered through the spyglass once again.

"He's…he's not heading for the city sir"

"What do you mean 'He's not heading for the city'?" Dagur growled

"Looks like he's heading west sir"

Dagur ripped the spyglass from the sentries hands, focusing it onto the figure far off the distance. As his sentry had said, Hiccup was not heading towards the city, but was now galloping at an alarming rate away to the west. Dagur gripped the spyglass in his hands, so tight that the glass lens shattered onto the floor.

"GET THE HORSES READY NOW! I'M NOT LETTING HIM GET AWAY AGAIN!" Dagur bellowed, throwing the now useless spyglass as hard as he could from the city walls before stomping off towards the steps to the city streets, "ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, THAT LITTLE RUNT DIES TONIGHT!"""

* * *

Hiccup could see the embassy building looming at the top of the hill. From the outside, even though he was still a few hundred yards from the main entrance, he could see what Delphine had been talking about. Almost every window had steel bars running down the outside, each door had iron support bolted to the wooden frames. Guards wandered across the walls, their torched held high scanning the area around the building.

Malborn had headed off before him, hiding his weapons and armour underneath potato and vegetable sacks in a supply cart. Hiccup hoped that he wouldn't be caught before he had a chance to smuggle his gear into the embassy, otherwise the plan would be a bust before it even began. As he drew closer, he caught sight of Delphine, standing beside a cart hidden in the trees.

"Have you given Malborn the gear you want to smuggle into the embassy?" Delphine asked as Hiccup climbed from his horse.

"Yes, Malborn's all set" Hiccup replied

Good. I have your invitation to the party. But the only way you're going to get past the guards is if they really believe you're an invited guest, which means you need to look the part. Here, put this on"

Delphine reached into the cart, pulling out a bundle of clothes and tossing them to Hiccup. The material felt like very fine cotton, a dark shade of blue with golden ornaments on the shoulders. A pair of brown briefs and leather boots accompanied them.

"Here, you can have this one back," Hiccup handed the left boot back to Delphine, motioning towards his prosthetic. Delphine chuckled as she took the boot back off him.

"Ha, very funny. When you're ready, I'll keep the rest of your gear safe until you get back. You'll only have what Malborn smuggled in for you, plus whatever you can pick up inside. Hurry up and get changed"

Hiccup walked into the trees, hiding behind a large oak as he changed into the party clothes. Pulling the shirt over his head, he felt a little silly, getting dressed in such clothing. He was thankful that Astrid and his friends couldn't see him now; he would have been the butt of their jokes for weeks if they could see what he looked like. Hiccup picked up the rest of his clothes, walking back out of the trees and placing them in the back of the cart. Delphine gave him a quick once over. He could tell by her expression that she wasn't particularly impressed.

"Hmm, I guess that will have to do. You should pass for a real guest, at least until you open your mouth. Just make sure you get back out of there alive with the information we need. Good luck"

Hiccup nodded, straightened his shirt and began walking up to the embassy. As he approached, each of the guides gave him a passing glance. Keeping his head low, Hiccup approached the main entrance, were another Thalmor guard was checking the guests invitations. Hiccup slipped quickly into the queue, holding his invitation in his hands. Another guest joined the line behind him, noticing the invitation in Hiccups hands.

"Ah! A fellow _'hic' _latecomer for Elenwen's little soiree. I _'hic' _salute you, sir!" the guest bellowed, bowing in front of Hiccup, staggering as he did so. Hiccup shifted nervously, the guards' attention being drawn by the noise. He could already smell wine on the man, and from the way he was swaying around, he'd had an awful lot already.

"Please, keep it down, there's no need for that" Hiccup pleased, helping the man steady himself. The guest threw his arm around Hiccup shoulder, belching loudly as he did so. The smell of his breath made Hiccup gag.

"My lateness is due more _'hic'_ to getting lost on the way up this gods-forsaken mountain than to any desire to actually arrive late. I prefer _'hic' _to arrive early, often the day before the party, so as not to miss out on '_hic'_ any of the drinking. There's not enough drinking in the world today, wouldn't you _'hic' _agree?"

"Uhh, yeah, sure, why not" Hiccup replied sheepishly, lifting the man's arm of his shoulders. The guest slowly made their way past the guard until Hiccup arrived at the front of the line. The guard greeted him with a smile.

"Welcome to the Thalmor Embassy. Your invitation, please sir"

Hiccup handed the guard his invitation, waiting anxiously as he examined it. Hiccup could feel his palms become sweaty, if the guard suspected anything, it was over.

"Thank you, sir. Go right in"

Hiccup breathed a quiet sigh of relief as the guard handed back his invitation. The drunken guest barrelled forward, extending his invitation to the guard, almost slumping his entire frame on Hiccups back to stop himself from toppling over.

"Now then, _'hic'_ here's my invitation. I don't have a _'hic' _poisoned dagger strapped to my thigh, et cetera, et _'hic' _cetera"

The guard took the invitation from the man and gave it a quick once over. Hiccup was struggling not to tumble over with the weight of the man pushing him forward. The guard handed the invitation back, stepping aside to allow the pair to enter.

"Yes, yes. Now to _'hic'_ find myself a drink! Inside, my friend, inside! Where _'hic'_ only the women and drinks are _'hic' _cold!" the man shouted, stumbling up the stairs to the front doors of the embassy. Hiccup shook his head slightly as he watched the man nearly trip through the main doors before following him inside.

The embassy truly was spectacular, fine silk drapes hung from almost every wall. Golden statues stood by every column and plush crimson carpets lined the floor. A large fire roared on the far side of the hall, its warmth spreading across the room. Hiccup had never seen so many finely dressed people in one place. His eye was drawn to the bar, barrels and barrels of mead and wine were stacked neatly behind the bartender, who looked up as Hiccup entered the room, giving him a small nod.

"Malborn" Hiccup whispered to himself as he headed to the bar. But before he could reach it, a woman stepped in front of him, dressed in an elaborate green dress and headband. Golden bangles hung from her wrists, a small dagger discreetly vailed on her belt. Her dark grey skin and pointed ears gave Hiccup a pretty good idea as to who she was.

This was it, time to turn on the act.

"Welcome. I don't believe we've met. I am Elenwen, the Thalmor Ambassador to Skyrim. And you are...?"

"Uhh…my name is…" Hiccup cursed himself for not even thinking about an alibi before he walked in. Now he had to think on his feet, "I am…Yuslam…yes, Yuslam, a pleasure to meet you" Hiccup extended his hand to Elenwen, who tentatively took it, shaking twice before releasing, "Quite a party" Hiccup praised, looking around the room once again, "It's my first time, you know. Where can I get a drink?"

"Don't worry, my parties are always well-stocked with the finest food and drink available in this country. Please, tell me more about yourself. What brings you to this...ahem…to Skyrim?"

"Madam Ambassador!"

Both Hiccup and Elenwen turned to the bar, where Malborn was holding up an empty bottle of wine.

"What is it, Malborn? Can't you see I'm speaking with a guest" Elenwen scolded.

"I'm sorry to interrupt; it's just that we've run out of the Alto wine. Do I have your permission to uncork the Arenthia red?"

"Of course, I've told you before not to bother me with such trifles"

"Yes ma'am" Malborn bowed his head lightly before heading into the store room. Elenwen turned back to Hiccup, a forced smile across her face.

"My apologies, we'll have to get better acquainted later. Please, enjoy yourself"

"I will thank you" Hiccup replied, bowing his head slightly. Elenwen returned the bow and walked back into the throng of guests in the main room. Hiccup watched until Elenwen was in conversation with another guest before making his way to the bar, just as Malborn emerged from the store room.

"You made it in. Good" Malborn said quietly, pouring two goblets of wine, making sure no one else was within ear shot of them, "As soon as you distract the guards, I'll open this door and we can get you on your way. Let's hope we both live through this day"

"Okay and how do I distract the guards?" Hiccup asked

"By the gods, do I have to hold your hand through this entire thing?" Malborn huffed, "Talk to the guests, I'm sure one of them can help out"

Hiccup narrowed his eyes slightly at Malborn; he didn't appreciate being mocked like that. But he had no time to call him out on it; he still had a job to do. Hiccup grabbed the two goblets and headed for the main room. The incoherent chatter of the guests helped him slip between them without much trouble. He scanned the room, looking for any sign of a guest who could help. Quickly, he caught sight of the drunken guest from the entrance line, slumped on a bench at the side of the room.

"Ah, idea"

Hiccup walked across the room to where the man was slumped on a bench. The guest looked up at Hiccup as he approached, his eyes starting to glaze over and a beaming smile across his face.

"What does a _'hic' _fellow need to do to get a drink around here _'hic'_?

"What indeed" Hiccup smiled, taking a seat next to the drunken guest, "What is your name friend?"

"Well I _'hic' _am Razelan" the man responded, holding out his hand. Hiccup grasped it, shaking it firmly.

"A pleasure Razelan, my name is Yuslam. You look thirsty?"

Razelan's smile became even broader as he struggled to adjust himself to sit up straight.

"My friend, you are _'hic'_ very perceptive! I have a powerful thirst that _'hic' _cannot be slaked! And none of the waiters _'hic' _will bring me a drink" Razelan suddenly glared to Elenwen, spitting onto the floor in front of him, "Elenwen must have told _'hic' _them to cut me off, the frigid bitch. Afraid I'll cause another _'hic' _scene, I suppose..."

_"__Cause a scene, perfect" _Hiccup thought to himself, holding out one of the goblets of wine.

"Here, I brought you a drink"

Razelan gleefully took the goblet from Hiccup's hands, downing the drink in one quick gulp.

"Ah, the one generous _'hic'_ soul among a gathering of pinch-pennies and _'hic' _lick-spittles! If there's anything I can ever do _'hic' _for you, do not hesitate to call upon me!"

"Actually" Hiccup shuffled down the bench, placing his hand on Razelans back, "There is something you could do for me"

"Wonderful! I can _'hic'_ begin to repay your generosity immediately. Say _'hic' _on friend"

"I need you to cause a scene, distract the guards for a few minutes. Do you think you can do that for me?" Hiccup asked, taking small sip from his goblet. The wine tased really good, he would have to try and grab a few bottles on his way out if he could.

"Is that all? My friend, you've come to the right person. You could say that causing a scene is somewhat of a specialty of mine" Razelan pushed himself up from the bench, wobbling slightly as he adjusted his clothing, "Stand back and behold my handiwork"

The drunken Razelan sauntered into the centre of the room, bumping into a few of the other guests as he struggled to keep his balance. Hiccup sat back and watched as Razelan lifted his wine goblet into the air.

"Attention everyone! Could I have _'hic'_ your attention, please! I have an announcement to make! I propose a toast to Elenwen! _'hic'_ Our mistress! I speak _'hic'_ figuratively, of course. Nothing could be more unlikely than someone _'hic'_ would actually want her in their bed"

The guards around the room, alerted by the commotion, drew their blades and began to converge onto Razelan. The plan was working. Hiccup looked over to Malborn behind the bar, exchanging a quick nod. Malborn quickly unlocked the door behind the bar, disappearing into the store room. Hiccup got up from his seat and walked towards the bar, just as Razelan was being surrounded by the guards.

"Although...most of you are already in bed with her! But again...I speak figuratively, of course!"

"That's enough out of you Razelan. I know you're drunk as usual, but that's no excuse for insulting our hostess. I don't think anyone deserves that kind of abuse!" one the guards shouted. A group of the other guards grabbed Razelan by the arms and frog marched him towards a side door.

"Fine, fine. Get your _'hic'_ hands off me!" Razelan protested, "I'll be a good boy now. Wouldn't want to offend our _'hic'_ Thalmor overlords, would we? Someone bring me a drink, quick!"

The guard hauled Razelan through the side door and out of the room. Hiccup wasn't going to hang around to see the aftermath of the incident, but all the other guests and the guards were suitably distracted. Hiccup ducked behind the bar, pushing open the store room door. Malborn closed the door after him, quickly locking it and putting the key into his pocket.

"So far, so good. Let's hope nobody saw us slip out. We need to pass through the kitchen. Your gear is hidden in the larder"

"What about Razelan, he put his neck on the line for us. What are they going to do to him?" Hiccup asked.

"We don't have time to worry about that, just stay close and let me do any talking, got it? Follow me"

Malborn pushed open the second door of the store room, leading into the kitchen. A huge stack of cast iron pots lay on a table next to a wash basin, a Thalmor servant scrubbing at them vigorously. The smell of cooked meat and vegetables almost made Hiccups mouth water. Malborn led Hiccup across the room to a smaller storage room, shelves full of bread, chesses and fruit lining the walls. On the floor was a large chest. Malborn kicked open the lid, revealing the equipment Hiccup had given to him earlier that day.

"Elenwen's office is across the rear courtyard, through that door" Malborn pointed to a second entrance to the larder, "I'll lock the door behind you. Don't screw this up. Good luck"

* * *

The docks were already a flurry of activity as Astrid touched down and clambered off Stormfly. After the commotion during the Chieftains meeting, she needed to clear her head, and flight on her dragon was the perfect remedy for a hot temper. Toothless landed next to the pair, gargling as hundreds of men moved around the harbour, carrying all manner of items from the ships.

Eret, Ivarr and Heather had ordered their soldiers to unpack their ships and set up camps around the Island. Eret and the Lava Lout soldiers were moving their camp to the north side of the island, Ivarr and the Bashem Oiks the west and Heather and the Outcasts to the East. Mogadon had taken some convincing, but he had agreed to aid Berk in whatever way he could, ordering his garrison to set up perimeters on the southern beaches. The Companion soldiers would be scattered across the Island, keeping watch over the other preparations.

It was now almost nightfall, the stars beginning to shin in the heavens above. Astrid let her gaze wander across the harbour, the shouts of the various men echoing in the twilight sky.

_"__Get those barrels unloaded; we don't want to die of thirst before we even have to fight!"_

_"__Move those weapons to the first Garrison; make sure they are all sharpened!"_

_"__Some more tents coming off, get them into the carts, quickly now!"_

_"__Come on men, put your backs into it, we only have 6 days left"_

That last sentence stuck Astrid deeply. 6 days? Only 6 days until those monstrous Berserkers would invade. And to make matters worse, now they had the Murderous Tribe army by their side, a force of nearly 10,000 strong. Astrid knew that even with the combined forces of the other tribes, they numbered just 5,000, half of what they would be up against.

But the biggest pull on her heart strings, at least in that moment, was the sight of Camacazi and her Bog Burglar fleet sailing away into the distance. Not even Valka had been able to convince her to help them. Astrid could feel the tears brimming in her eyes, but stubbornly pushed them down, she wouldn't let something like this affect their preparations. She felt a gentle hand rest on her shoulder, turning to see Heather standing by her side.

"Hey are you okay?" asked Heather

"Uh….yeah….yeah I'm fine" Astrid answered unconvincingly.

"Come on Astrid, I know that face. Talk to me"

Astrid had always admired Heathers new found compassion and empathy skills. She still found it hard to believe that ten years ago Heather had tried to betray them all to Alvin. She had truly despised her back then, but now, she thought of her like a sister, and one of her closest friends.

"How did it come to this Heather? We're on the brink of war, one of my best friends won't help us and the man I love is gods knows where. I've really messed this up haven't I?"

"None of this is your fault Astrid" Heather slid her arm around Astrid's shoulders, "No one could have predicted this"

"But I let Hiccup leave, I couldn't convince Camacazi to stay and help, I've put Berk, heck, the whole Archipelago in danger, including you"

"No you haven't, Dagur has done all that. You are doing what you think is right. I will be here with you throughout all of this, I'm not going anywhere"

Astrid smiled weakly the Heather, finding little comfort in her words. Looking back onto the Horizon, all she could now see was the rippling of the waves. Camacazi and her ships had disappeared into the distance.

"And hey, you've got Fishlegs going to find Hiccup; he'll be home before you know it"

"I wish I could believe that. I trust Fishlegs, I really do, but how is he going to find Hiccup? We have no idea what Skyrim is like, how big it is or anything like that. Hiccup could be anywhere by now"

Astrid couldn't hold it back any more, and the tears slowly began to trickle down her face. Heather pulled Astrid into a hug, squeezing her tight. Astrid buried her face into her friends shoulder, letting the tears flow.

"It's going to be okay Astrid, you'll see" Heather whispered softly, rubbing Astrid softly on the back.

"Thank you Heather" Astrid sniffed, whipping the tears from her cheeks. Heather was right; she needed to keep it together. She had never been this emotional about anything before, and frankly, it was becoming very confusing. She had always prided herself on being as tough as any man on Berk, so why was she crying so much all of a sudden. None of it made sense to her, which mad her even more angry with herself.

But those feelings would have to wait, she had an island to prepare, dragons to train and her home to defend.

"I'm not going to let them win, I can't let them win" Astrid said sternly.

"They won't win Astrid. Once the rest of my men arrive, and all of Eret, Ivarr and Mogadon's soldiers, we will have our army" Heather replied as equally sternly

"We'll still be outnumbered though. They will have nearly 10,000, twice of what we have"

"Numbers don't win a war, strategy and planning does" Heather replied, side stepping as a Lava Lout sailor walked past pulling a cart of supplies towards the hill leading away from the docks.

"We need a plan, a solid battle plan, one were we can make the most out of the soldiers we have and the dragons as well. Any ideas?" Astrid asked.

"The dragons should do aerial patrols, day and night. If that fleet out there moves an inch, we'll need to know about it"

"Good idea, I'll head down to the academy first thing in the morning and start prepping the riders"

"In the meantime, I'm having my men light fires on every beach on the island, maybe we can scare them a bit if they think we have more soldiers"

Astrid was truly impressed with her friends' plans. Heather had always been an excellent strategist. Outcast Island was one of the most secure islands in the entire Archipelago thanks to some of Heathers ideas. You couldn't sail more than 20 miles away from the place without encountering some kind of obstacle. If they could apply some of those plans to the defence of Berk, maybe they stood a chance after all.

Out of the corner of her eye, Astrid spotted Fishlegs; a large bag slumped over his shoulder, standing at the far end of the docks with Meatlug. He was in deep conversation with Ruffnut, a look of sadness across both their faces. Ruffnut hung her head down, until Fishlegs gently lifted her chin. Astrid watched in silent surprise as Ruffnut flung her arms around Fishlegs wide shoulders, her hands barely touching around his giant back. She could see the colour flush in Fishlegs cheeks as the burly Viking slowly placed an arm around Ruffnut. As the pair broke the hug, their hands met, taking longer than usual to part before Ruffnut turned and ran from the docks. For a moment, Fishlegs just stood still, the dumbfounded look on his face causing an involuntary giggle from Astrid.

"What are you chuckling at?" Heather asked

"Oh….nothing" Astrid replied with a devious grin.

"Well, I'm glad to see you smiling again" Heather beamed.

The pair watched as Fishlegs turned to face his dragon. Bending down, he wrapped his arms around the Gronkle, his shoulders heaving gently. Astrid felt a wave of sadness overcome her, it was the second time in just over a week she had to watch one of her friends say goodbye to their dragon. Her gaze wandered to Toothless, who was obliovious to what she was looking at, the noise and crowds on the docks proving a welcome distraction to the Night Fury. Fishlegs broke his hug on Meatlug, hauling his bag onto his shoulder before turning a heading away from his dragon, slowly approaching the pair from across the dock, dropping his bag onto the floor as he stood before them.

"Hey, are you okay. That must have been really hard to say goodbye" Heather said sympathetically.

"Yeah I'm….I'm fine. Well, I guess this is it" Fishlegs muttered nervously.

"You take care of yourself out there you hear me" said Heather, planting a small peck on his cheek, flushing his entire face a dark shade of red.

"Stay safe Fishlegs, I mean it, if you come back with any limbs missing, I'd never forgive myself. Did you manage to find a ship?" Astrid asked.

_"__Yes he did"_

Astrid and Heather both turned at the sound of the familiar voice. Trader Johan was walking up the dock towards them, a small bundle under his arm, the usual beaming smile poking through his beard.

"Johan, when did you arrive?" asked Astrid.

"Around an hour ago. Master Ingerman told me he needed a fast vessel, and there is no faster vessel on these seas than my trusty galleon. Why, I remember this one time when I was being pursued by a bunch of rather unsavoury characters of the coast of Meathead Island, they were…."

"Johan!" Astrid interrupted abruptly. She knew from experience that once Johan began regaling them in one his stories, they could be there all night, "I'm sure it was all very exciting, but time isn't on our side right now. Can you help Fishlegs?"

"I know I can Miss Hofferman, with the right maps, I can navigate anywhere"

"Well…uh…there may have been one thing I forgot to mention Johan" Fishlegs murmured. The trader glanced a confused expression towards the burly Viking.

"You don't have a map do you?" Johan asked

"Uhhh…not as such no"

"I see, and just how exactly did you hope to navigate without a map, much less at night?" Johan asked, crossing his arms and tapping his foot on the wooden boards below them.

"I have bene studying a group of old charts. If my calculations are correct, I can navigate us by using the stars"

"Navigate using the stars eh. Well that is something I would like to see" Johan chuckled, adjusting the bundle under his arm, "Well, no time like the present, shall we be off then?"

Fishlegs nodded, picking up his bag and following Johan down the docks. Astrid, Heather, Toothless and Stormfly followed close behind, weaving and dodging between the soldiers still unloading supplies from their ships.

Johan's latest ship was nothing spectacular to behold, but it was a sturdy a ship as anyone could ask for. The dark brown stained hull and sails made it almost impossible to spot in poor light. After years and years of being attacked by bandits and pirates, Johan had finally installed some defences to the ship, including several crossbows and a helm mounted catapult.

"Behold, my Jäger" Johan exclaimed proudly, patting the hull of the ship as they walked past.

"Ah, the Hunter. Not a name I thought you'd have chosen Johan?" Heather replied her hands on her hips as she inspected the ship.

"Well, I figured a fierce name may dissuade the infernal attacks I have endured over the past few years"

"She's perfect Johan" Fishlegs smiled, tossing his bag over the railings and onto the decking.

"You don't have to do this Fishlegs, you know that right?" said Heather.

"No one else can navigate to Skyrim without a map. I have to go"

Fishlegs hopped down from the walkway onto the deck, picking up his bag and turning back to face the dock. Valka, Gobber, Snotlout and Tuffnut walked over and stood beside Astrid, each of them giving him a reassuring nod

"Don't worry guys, I'll find Hiccup and bring him home as quickly as I can" Fishlegs replied as he began climbing the gangplank to board the ship. Johan glanced a quick look to Astrid and Heather before following Fishlegs onto the ship, untying the mooring ropes and taking his position at the helm.

"Good luck" Valka called out as the ship glided its way towards the end of the docks.

"Remember, you have 6 days, so don't waste any time with your books and all that other stuff!" Snotlout shouted, receiving a slap round the head from Gobber. Fishlegs smiled as they ship began to pick up speed. Thankfully they had a southerly wind on their side, pulling the ship away from the docks at just the right speed. Slowly but surely, Berk began to shrink on the horizon, growing smaller and smaller until it disappeared into the twilight.

Fishlegs let out a deep sigh. He had never left home on his sown before, he had always had his friends beside him, or at least Meatlug. He could feel his palms becoming sweaty, his hands shaking slightly from the nerves coursing through his body. But he had a job to do, and by the gods, he was going to do it.

Dumping his bag onto the decks map table, he pulled out all his charts, unfurling each one. Gazing up at the stars then quickly back to his maps, Fishlegs was thankful that it was going to be a clear night. All the stars would be visible, meaning navigating would be slightly easier.

"So, do we have a heading Master Ingerman!?" Johan called out from the helm. Fishlegs scanned the charts, running his finger across one of the many lines he had drawn, before pointing his finger towards the vast black ocean ahead of them.

"5 degrees South Johan, that's our path to Skyrim!"

* * *

Hiccup pulled his leather armour back over his head, sliding it down onto his shoulders. He winced slightly as the tough material slid against his bandaged right arm. It didn't hurt as much as it had, but he could still feel the heat from the burns on his skin. He would have a job explaining what this latest scar was once he was back on Berk. Looking down at his left sleeve, the dragon blood stained the cloth a dark red. He saw the fading light in the dragons eyes flash across his mind. The same thought ran through his brain, that because of him, two dragons were dead. It was a fact he would have to live with for the rest of his life.

But he couldn't forget the amazing power he felt when the abnormal forces over took him. The sensation of utter power was exhilarating; the explosion of the force of his shouts was unbelievable. Never in his young life did he ever imagine he would possess such abilities. How in the world would everyone react to him when he returned to Berk? He most assuredly was not the same man who left just over a week ago.

He quickly stashed the party clothes inside the chest, sliding Nethersbane back into the holster on his belt, securing his bow and the Axe of Whiterun to his back. He heard the door lock behind him as Malborn returned to the party. He could still just about make out the noise of the other guests after the commotion caused by Razelan. He hoped that he hadn't caused too much trouble for the man.

Slowly, he pushed open the interior door of the larder, revealing a dimly lit corridor ahead. He could hear guards talking in a side room, a faint torch light streaming under the closed door. Very carefully, Hiccup began to creep along the corridor, his prosthetic making the slightest clicking noise against the stone, but not loud enough to disturb the guards. As he snuck past the door, Hiccup could hear their conversation much more clearly.

_"__Did you see those robes march in this morning? Who're they with? More of the Emissary's treaty enforcers?"_

_"__No. They're high mages, just in from Alinor. I guess herself is finally getting worried about all the dragon attacks"_

_"__Ah, good. I've been wondering how we were supposed to defend this place from a dragon"_

_"__If a dragon does show up, maybe we'll get lucky and it will eat the mages first. Might give us enough "time to kill it"_

_"__Ha! I'd like to see those arrogant bastards taken down a notch. Always looking down their noses at us lowly footsloggers"_

_"__Well, we'd better get back to our rounds"_

Hiccup heard the handle of the door creak. Diving behind a fortunately placed bookcase, he heard the guards exit the room, closing the door behind them. Hiccup held his breath, half expecting the guards to wander past and see him hiding there. Thankfully, the sounds of their footsteps took them in the other direction. Hiccup waited until the sound of the footsteps had faded away into the distance, peering round the corner of the book case to check the coast was clear. He couldn't see any other guards.

"Phew, too close"

Emerging from behind the book case, Hiccup continued to head down the corridor. Elaborate and expensive looking painting hung on every wall, the frames decorated with gold and jewels, most of them depicting Elenwen. Clearly the woman had vanity issues. Hiccup checked every corridor for guards before proceeding any further, before he arrived at the door leading to the court yard.

Pushing open the door, he carefully scanned the area for any more guards. A few were patrolling the walls, but none were guarding the entrance to a small building across the yard.

"Those must be Elenwen's offices" Hiccup muttered to himself. Slowly, Hiccup stepped out of the main embassy building, closing the door gently behind him. Luckily for him, the courtyard was poorly lit, plenty of shadows for him the hide in.

After a quick double take to make sure the guards were not looking in his direction, Hiccup slipped into the shadows hugging the side wall. He crept along as fast as he dare without attracting the attention of the guards above him. Hiccup crept further and further across the courtyard, edging alongside the door to Elenwen's offices. Gripping the handle, he quickly swept inside, shutting the door gently behind him.

The solar was decorated in a similar manner to the embassy building. Ornate furniture was scattered across the room, shadows flickered and danced across the floor from candlelight, and even more portraits of the ambassador. Hiccup shook his head in slight despair; he had never seen anyone with such a big crush on themselves. It was sad really, that he was lucky enough to have found the love of his life, the one person he could share everything with, whilst there where people in the world who had nobody.

But he had no time to dwell on such sad thoughts; he had to find those documents. At the far end of the ground floor of the solar, Hiccup spotted two staircases, one leading down and the other up.

"Elenwen wouldn't put her office downstairs" Hiccup commented to himself, walking briskly over to the upward staircase. As he climbed, he could hear guards on the other side of the wall, their muffled voices too difficult to make out exactly what they were saying. Rounding the corner at the top of the stairs, he quickly made his way down the corridor, coming face to face with a beautifully carved wooden door.

Pushing open the door, Hiccup stepped inside the room. A fire burned under giant marble fireplace, odd artefacts and relics lined almost every flat surface he could see. Three bookshelves stood against the back wall, stuffed to the brim with works by authors he had never heard off unsurprisingly. He rounded the desk, examining the three drawers on the left side. Pulling open the first one, Hiccup huffed in annoyance to find it empty. The second draw proved just as useful. Pulling open the third draw, a bundle of parchment scratched against the wooden base. Hiccup reached down and picked up the bundle, carefully untying the string holding them together. Each roll of parchment was stamped with blue wax, emblazed with what he could only presume to be Elenwen's official seal, a small scratch of ink on the top edge of each document. Hiccup read the words carefully;

_CONFIDENTIAL - Official Property of Elenwen, Thalmor Ambassador to Skyrim - Ulfric Stormcloak_

_CONFIDENTIAL - Official Property of Elenwen, Thalmor Ambassador to Skyrim - Delphine of Riverwood_

_CONFIDENTIAL - Official Property of Elenwen, Thalmor Ambassador to Skyrim - Dragon Investigations_

"Gotcha" Hiccup smirked to himself, cramming the parchment rolls into his pocket, "Right, got what I came for, time to get out of here"

Hiccup closed the desk draw and headed out of the office. As he descended the stairs back to the lobby, he ground to a halt. He could hear voices, mush more clearly than before, coming from outside the front door to the solar

_"__There is a guest missing, purple robes and some kind of metal leg. Find him now!"_

"Damn it"

Elenwen's unmistakeable screech made his heart race. He had to find a way out, and fast. His eyes darted across the solar, looking for any other doors that led back outside. But there weren't any, the only thing his eyes came to rest on was the staircase leading down. It was his only chance, perhaps there was s service hatch or something he could escape through. Either way, he couldn't just stand there. Hiccup speed round the bannister, almost leaping down the stairs away from the solar, bounding down the last few steps into the now dark corridors. He ran as fast as his legs would carry him, almost crashing through the doorway at the far end of the passage way, slamming it closed behind him, pressing his back up against it and closing his eyes.

Panting to get some much needed air into his lungs, Hiccup slowly opened his eyes, gasping in disbelief as he found himself in some kind of dungeon. Metal cages ran along each of the side walls, at least twelve of them, and they couldn't have been any bigger than a few square yards. The dungeon was almost completely dark, save for the one stream of light through a single window. Hiccup could just about make out the huddled shape of the incarcerated prisoners, cowering in the corner of their cells.

"By the gods" Hiccup could feel his voice cracking. He had never seen such a horrible place. Sure they had a prison building on Berk, but they gave the prisoners at least a bed to sleep on, all he could see through the bars was filth and much across the stone floor, iron stocks bolted to the walls. It was horrific.

Hiccup slowly approached one of the cells, kneeling down and gazing through the rusted bars. The prisoner was sat with his back against the wall, his head hung slightly. The darkness prevented Hiccup from seeing his face clearly, but there was something about him that intrigued him. Looking around, he could see all the other captives tucked in the corner of their cells, rocking back and forth, quietly sobbing. But this one, he sat almost defiantly, his back straight with his hands resting on his knees.

"Uh…hello…" Hiccup muttered into the cell. The prisoner didn't answer; he just lifted his head up. Hiccup still couldn't quiet see his face clearly, the stream of light crossed the front of the cell. The prisoner slowly stood up, brushing the dust from his torn clothing, stepping towards the front of the cell. Hiccup backed up quickly, his hand whipping to the handle of Nethersbane. He didn't know this man; he wasn't going to risk being attacked. The prisoner stepped into the light, resting his forearms on the bars; the familiar smile and facial scars making Hiccups jaw drop.

"Thorin?"

"Hello, brother, you took your time" Thorin chuckled. Hiccup took his hand off Nethersbane and almost crashed into the barred door as he ran back to the cell, flinging his arms through the bars, grasping his brother in a tight hug. Thorin passed his own arms through the bars, wrapping them around Hiccups shoulders.

"I was so worried about you" Hiccup said quietly. Thorin patted his back comfortingly.

"I'm sorry Hiccup, I'm sorry I didn't come back to you"

"What happened?" Hiccup asked, breaking the hug.

"I…I was ambushed…" Thorin replied

"Ambushed? By who?"

Thorin paused for a moment, his eyes dropping to the ground.

"Dagur"

"Dagur?!" Hiccup exclaimed, his cheeks beginning to burn in anger, "He put you in here? How?"

"I'll explain everything later Hiccup; but the guards could be here any moment, so right now we have to get out of here. There should be a key nearby"

"Forget the key, stand back"

Thorin slowly backed away from the cage door, a curious expression across his face. Hiccup dropped to a knee, his eyes level with the lock on the cell door. Drawing a breath, the power once again built in his lungs, but this time, a mere whisper escaped his lips.

_"__FO KRAH DIIN"_

Hiccup pursed his lips, blowing a small, but deadly accurate stream of ice cold air against the lock. The metal began to freeze, crystallising, cracking and snapping under the strain of the extreme cold. Thorin watched in awe as Hiccup ceased blowing on the lock, amazed at how quickly his brother had picked up the skills to use the Thu'um.

"The Greybeards have taught you well" Thorin smiled. Hiccup got to his feet, pulling his axe from his back and placing the blade against the lock. With one decisive swing, the axe slammed into the frozen metal, shattering it into tiny pieces on the floor as the cage door swung open.

"Come on, the guards would have heard that, let's go" Hiccup said frantically, putting the axe back into his back straps.

"Wait, we can't leave these men here"

The brothers looked around the dark dungeon. The other prisoners had obviously become aware of what was happening, and where all kneeling at the front of their cells. Hiccup saw the pained and desperate looks in their eyes, the cuts, bruises and scars all over their bodies. Some of them must have been held here for months, even years, cut off from the outside world, separated from their families, caged like wild animal and left down here to rot.

Hiccup nodded to Thorin before quickly approaching a desk on the far side of the dungeon. Pulling open the drawers, he quickly found a large brass key. Hiccup grabbed the key, shut the drawers and ran back to the cells, opening each cell one by one. The locks clunked open and the prisoners scampered out into the corridor, their cries of freedom echoed in the darkness. Thorin meanwhile, kicked open a large chest outside his own cell, pulling out his weapons and armour.

Hiccup opened the last cell, when a terrible banging rattled on the door to the dungeon.

_"__Open this door right now; we know you're in there!"_

"Thorin, we have to get out!" Hiccup cried, just as Thorin finished putting his armour back on. They scanned the dungeon, searching for another way out. Luckily, Hiccups eyes came to rest on a trap door in the centre of the room.

"Everyone, down here quickly!" Hiccup shouted. The prisoners gathered around the trap door as Hiccup hauled it open. An overpowering stench of decaying flesh attacked his sense. Hiccup gagged, covering his nose and mouth.

"Gahh! A corpse hatch" Hiccup choked

"Whatever it is, it's our way out" Thorin replied, leaping down into the darkness below. Hiccup jumped down after him, landing in about 2 and a half feet of water. The ice cold feeling immediately enveloped him, his muscles becoming tense and his jaw already beginning to chatter.

"It's freezing down here Thorin!" Hiccup exclaimed, pushing his way through the water.

"Keep moving, it shouldn't be too far now." Thorin replied, pulling a torch from the wall and holding it out into the dark tunnel ahead. Hiccup could hear the prisoners up ahead, pushing and shoving each other out of the way in their desperate attempts to escape the freezing water. The tunnel twisted and turned through the ground, until at long last, Hiccup could see moonlight shining through an exit up ahead. The water rushed from the tunnel into a small river below, the prisoners jumping from the tunnel exit onto the banks, running as fast as they could away from the embassy, hooting and hollering in celebration at their new found freedom.

Hiccup balanced himself on the tunnel exit, the water rushing past his legs making it difficult not to topple over into the water below. With one leap, Hiccup landed with a thud on the river bank, his prosthetic slipping out from under him on the wet ground. He slammed into the ground, directly onto his bandaged arm, a shot of pain racing through his body. Thorin landed beside him, quickly helping Hiccup back to his feet.

"Are you okay Hiccup? What happened to your arm?"

Hiccup cradled his injured arm; the bandages had become saturated from the blood seeping from the burns. No matter how hard he tried, he could force the burning pain out of his mind, a pain that was getting worse and worse.

"I….I fought another dragon"

"You did what?" Thorin exclaimed, a shocked expression spread quickly across his face.

"It's a long story" Hiccup huffed, slowly lowering his arm back down to his side, wincing as the bandages rubbed against the burns.

"You can explain on the way back" Thorin replied as he started to walk away from the embassy.

"On the way back to where?" Hiccup asked

"Solitude, Dagur has taken control of the city and taken Jarl Elisif captive"

"What? How did that happen?"

"I don't know, but there are innocent people in danger" Thorin growled, the anger in his voice building up, "We have to help them"

_"__Oh I don't think they will need your help"_

The brothers whipped around, the same sickly smile greeted them, but this time, flanked by at least 20 men on horseback. Hiccup pulled Nethersbane from his holster, gripping the handle tightly. Thorin pulled out his own sword, a murderous expression spreading across his face.

"Dagur!?"

* * *

**Hi guys**

**Once again, I'm really sorry that this chapter took so long to post, I appreciate it has been a long time since I have updated this story, I've just been so busy lately. But none the less, Chapter 22 is up, and my word there is a lot going on right now. Chapter 23 is already underway and I truly hope that I don't take so long to wrote it as I did this one. So Fishlegs is heading to Skyrim? What will happen when he gets there. Can Astrid prepare Berk for war in time? And what has Dagur planned for Hiccup and Thorin?**

**Stay tuned.**


	23. Chapter 23 - A Cornered Rat

Hiccup and Thorin gripped their weapons tightly as Dagur's men slowly circled around them, their horses stomping and neighing loudly. The riders cackled and heckled the pair, their weapons drawn and pointing straight at them. Hiccup glanced a worried look to Thorin, who was far more focused on his own steely glare at Dagur.

"Well Hiccup, I have to say I'm disappointed in you" Dagur sneered.

"What are you talking about?" Hiccup spat back. Dagur chortled to himself, enjoying the sight of Hiccup so full of rage at his mere presence.

"I take over an entire city full of innocent people, and you don't even bother to come and help them, and then, breaking a convicted criminal out of prison. Is that good nature of yours starting to waver?"

"Shut your mouth Dagur!" Thorin bellowed, "If you have hurt Elisif or any of the people in Solitude….."

"There's no need to shout, they are all perfectly safe. I suppose if I can't kill you in the city, and letting the people watch their hero's die, then I have no need for them anymore. I guess killing you here will just have to do" Dagur began walking methodically towards Hiccup, his soldiers focusing their drawn weapons on Thorin, "You all take care of him" Dagur ordered, pointing towards Thorin, "Hiccup is mine"

"Why are you doing this Dagur? Chasing me all over the world. What are you hoping to gain?" Hiccup asked, raising the blade of Nethersbane in front of him.

"What am I hoping to gain? Oh Hiccup, I'm surprised you have to ask. I want what I've always wanted. Power, control, your Night Fury's head mounted on my wall" Dagur scowled, slowly drawing his own sword. It was a horrible looking curved weapon, clearly not of Berserker design, blood stains still visible across the blade. Hiccup suspected he must have stolen it from the armoury in Solitude.

"….Oh and one more thing…You're life"

Hiccup held his ground, never letting his eyes leave Dagur, who was starting to get worrying close. He had practised close combat a little back at the academy with Astrid, but not enough to face an experienced fighter like Dagur. He had never been in a situation like this; he had always had Toothless or his friends with him.

"THIS ENDS NOW!" Dagur roared, raising his sword into the air and breaking into a sprint towards Hiccup, bringing the blade down hard towards him. Hiccup swung Nethersbane up as the two weapons clashed. Dagur pressed down hard, forcing Hiccup backwards. This was crazy, and Hiccup knew it. He made brief eye contact with his seething opponent, who only smirked at him. He didn't want to admit the move gave Dagur the edge, but it had. Dagur slammed his head forward, their temples cracking together. Hiccup felt his brain rattle inside his skull, his vision becoming blurry from the force of the strike. Dagur shoved his hard into Hiccup's chest, pushing away hard, their weapons ringing as their blades slipped against each other.

The other Berserker soldiers quickly dismounted their horses, their blades held out towards Thorin as they charged. Thorin twirled his blade in his hands as the mass of bodies hurtled towards him. The first soldiers lunged forward, swinging an axe above his head. Turning his blade in mid-air, Thorin sliced towards the advancing soldier's belly. A foul scream emitted from the Berserker, who toppled forward, his hands desperately trying to stop the flow of blood spurting from the gapping wound in his gut. Thorin quickly readjusted his stance as another attack swung towards him, slicing his blade through the air towards the soldiers.

Dagur charged towards Hiccup again, waving his hooked blade in figure eights towards his face and head. Hiccup leapt backwards just as the weapon sliced through the air in front of him. Dagur continued to advance towards him, the hooked blade upheld, going to his fore swing and following it with a hard backswing. Hiccup again dodged the first swipe, blocking the second with Nethersbane, but he knew couldn't just keep retreating, Dagur would eventually overpower and cut him to ribbons if he did. He had to go on the offensive. Steadying himself on the wet ground, Hiccup swung Nethersbane as hard as he could, meeting Dagur's blade full on. The impact sent Dagur stumbling back, but not enough to knock the blade free of his hands.

"Well I never, someone's been practising haven't they?" Dagur laughed manically, re-gripping the hilt of his weapon, "A lot of good it will do you here!"

Out of the corner of his eye, Hiccup saw Thorin rapidly despatching the Berserkers attacking him. The fluidity of his brothers fighting style was truly something to behold, like a leaf floating in the wind. Thorin was incredibly light on his feet, almost gliding across the ground, dodging and diving attack after attack, already managing to subdue 10 of his assailants, who were now sprawled all over the place, their blood turning the grass a dark red. Much to Hiccups relief, I didn't look like Thorin had actually killed any of them, just wounded them enough so they couldn't fight.

Dagur ducked down, pushing himself forwards and lunging his blade towards Hiccups midriff. This arcing shot sliced the material of Hiccups' leather armour at the midsection. It missed his flesh behind it by perhaps a centimetre. Hiccup staggered backwards as Dagur lunged again, thankfully able to drop to one knee to avoid having his head cut off. Hiccup pushed from the ground, rolling forward and leaping up, turning to face Dagur. The Berserker managed another smirk, this time at the spryness of his opponents dodge. Dagur had to admit it was impressive how quickly Hiccup had picked up the skill of close hand fighting, but this time, the sight only made him angrier.

Dagur swung his blade back and forth, more erratically than he had before. Hiccup was dodging and deflecting his attacks much more effectively now, using his sword to guide Dagur's strikes away. That was one of the things Astrid had taught him about sword play, make your opponent angry, cloud their judgement and outsmart them. Hiccup could never go toe to toe with Dagur in terms of brute strength, but he was more than a match for him in brains. Dodging another attack, Hiccup swiped Nethersbane up, the tip of the blade catching Dagur on the chin. The Berserkers howled in pain as he stumbled backwards, blood trickling from the cut.

"What's the matter Dagur, can't beat a _'little runt' _like me?" Hiccup laughed a small hint of satisfaction over coming him. Usually it was Dagur taunting him, "Not so nice when the shoe is other the other foot….or prosthetic I guess"

Dagur lifted his hand to his chin, his fingers becoming covered in his own blood. Hiccup kept Nethersbane held up, he knew he was getting to Dagur, taunting him, bringing his anger to an all-time high, and the more he did that, the better his chances of winning the fight. Dagur roared in rage as he swung his blade at Hiccup again. The first two shots missed badly, but the third, a backswing off the one before it, found flesh. The blade cut into Hiccup forearm, right onto the still raw burn marks.

"GGGAAAHHHHH!" Hiccup howled as the fresh pain resonated through his arm. Dagur grinned, straightening himself up as Hiccup dropped to a knee, his head hung low with gritted teeth. Dagur could hear Hiccups sharp and quick breathing in a desperate attempt to dull the pain. Dagur swaggered towards Hiccup, pointing his blade under his fallen foes chin, lifting his head until their eyes met in a steely gaze.

"I hope your father is looking down and watching this. I hope you're ready to meet him in the next life, because this Hiccup….this is the moment you die"

Dagur lifted his sword, preparing to strike the final blow. Hiccup closed his eyes, waiting for the blade to slam into him. But it didn't. Instead, he heard the clang of steel on steel. Opening his eyes, two blades hung in mid-air in front of him. Thorin gripped his tightly, flicking and twirling his wrist, enveloping Dagur's blade in his, before flinging his arm sideways, sending Dagur's curved weapon flying from his hands. The blade twirled in the air, the moon light bouncing off the blood stained metal, before it splashed into the dark waters of the river. Thorin raised his weapon again, pointing the tip straight at the crazed Berserker, taking extra care to position himself between Hiccup and the insane Berserker. But Dagur merely laughed, backing away between two of the soldiers still standing.

"Well that was a wonderful trick Thorin, but without my blade, it is hardly a fair fight is it. So I'm going to let these boys kill you first, then I'll deal with your little brother"

Dagur backed further away as the remaining Berserker soldiers began to advance. Thorin hauled Hiccup to his feet, standing firmly between him and the advancing soldiers.

"Thorin?!" Hiccup whispered nervously, wincing in pain as the fresh blood trickled down his arm, "We can't fight them all, any ideas?"

"Just one" Thorin replied, his eyes darting between the Berserkers surrounding them, "On my mark…..Fus"

Hiccup nodded. He knew exactly what Thorin planned to do. Both brothers inhaled deeply, arching their back to fill their lungs with as much air as possible. Despite his trepidations, Hiccup closed his eyes, sucked in the last bit of breath his lungs could hold, and with every muscle in his body, emitted his shout.

**_"_****_FUS ROH DAH!"_**

The ground beneath their feet felt like it would crack open from the immense power of the combined shout. The murky blackness of the early evening exploded into light as the shout thundered towards Dagur and the remaining soldiers. The blue glow slamming into the Berserkers, sending them tumbling backwards. Three of the soldiers' spiralled through the air, crashing and splashing into the freezing waters of the river. Dagur slammed hard onto his back, knocking all the air out of his body. Hiccup knew this was there chance.

"LET'S GET OUT OF HERE!" He bellowed, sliding Nethersbane into its scabbard.

"WHIRLWIND SPRINT NOW!" Thorin shouted back. Hiccup began sprinting away from the fight, sucking in as much air as his burning lungs would allow him.

**_"_****_WULD NAH KEST!"_**

His head snapped back once again as he blasted through the air. His eyes began to water as the wind blasted him in the face, but it was a necessary discomfort if it meant they could escape. Hiccup heard Thorin unleash his own shout beside him, their voices echoing together in the darkness as the brothers sped away from the battle, into the safety of the thick trees of the forest.

* * *

Trader Johan's ship drifted further and further away from the docks, until it was completely out of sight. As the rest of the group turned to leave, Astrid and Heather remained, gazing out at the ocean, a gentle sea breeze ruffling their hair and clothes, the sun setting over the horizon.

"Do you think he'll find him?" Heather asked.

"I know he will. Fishlegs is one of the most intelligent guys I know, he won't let us down" Astrid replied

"I hope you're right Astrid, I really do"

Astrid wanted to believe that Fishlegs would find Hiccup quickly. She wanted nothing more desperately than to have the man she loved back with her, holding her in his arms once again. But in her heart, she knew that it was a long shot that Fishlegs would find him at all.

"Come on, it's late and I've been at sea all day, it's about time we got some food and rest don't you think" Heather asked with a smile. Astrid smiled back at her friend. The day had passed by so quickly with everything that had happened.

"That sounds like a good plan"

The pair walked together away from the docks, flanked by Stormfly and Toothless. It was a clear evening, not a cloud in the sky. It was these sorts of evening that Astrid normally loved, to be able to gaze up at the stars, reflecting in quiet wonder about how small they are were in the grand scope of things. Many a night, she and Hiccup had snuck off to the southern beaches to star gaze. Sometimes they had stayed out all night, only altered to the time by the sunrise. She'd had a few hairy moments explaining to her mother what she had been doing out so late.

It was only a short walk back to her house from the docks, but it was almost pitch black by the time they arrived. The lanterns flickered inside the windows as they always did, giving the house a warm and inviting feeling. Stormfly and Toothless sauntered round to the pen, flopping onto the fresh straw that had been laid down for them. It had been a long day for everyone, and the dragons were clearly tired out.

"Would you like to come in, I can put on a pot of tea?" Astrid asked.

"Thank you for the offer, but I think we all need some rest. I'll see you in the morning" Heather smiled before walking off towards the Eastern beaches where her soldiers were camped out. Astrid ascended the front steps of the house, reaching forward to push open the door. But as her hand drew close to the door knob, she froze.

The lock on the door had been broken off and the door was slightly ajar, casting a thin beam of light across the porch. She had made sure to lock it when she had left that morning, just like she did every morning. She was never careless enough to leave her home unlocked, especially at a time like this.

Slowly pulling a dagger from her belt, Astrid pushed open the door. The house was in turmoil. The chairs were knocked on their sides and scattered across the floor. Pots and goblets lay strewn across the cooking area, and a broken shield that once hung on the walls was shattered in front of the fireplace.

"What happened in here?"

Astrid gripped the dagger with her left hand, pulling her axe from her waist as she ventured further into the mess, being as careful as possible to avoid making too much noise. If there was something, or worse someone, still inside the house, she could take them by surprise. A desk at the far side of the living room had been completely plundered, every draw turned inside out, scraps of parchment lay absolutely everywhere and her charcoals lay broken and smashed across the desktop. Her boots crunched over shards of broken glass from a vase on the shelves near the stairs, the floor was wet and covered in now dead flowers.

Alerted by the sound of the breaking glass, Stormfly and Toothless appeared at the rear windows, poking their heads inside to see what was going on.

"Easy girl, easy" Astrid whispered, holding her hand up to signal her dragon to stay still. Stormfly snorted indignantly from the window, resting her head on the sill. Toothless murmured as he looked around the mess in the room.

"Toothless, stay there" Astrid commanded, tip toeing between the broken shards on the floor. The pieces of glass were razor sharp, and could easily piece through the soles of her boots, and the paws of the dragons. Her eyes wandered to the stairs, a few broken shards lay on the bottom few steps. Astrid slowly made her way towards the steps. Stormfly snorted indigently from the window; clearly she sensed that there was still danger. The Nadder didn't want her human to go up there alone.

"I'm fine girl, just stay there"

The Nadder cawed in understanding from the window. One by one, Astrid crept up the steps. As she neared the top, she saw the door to her bedroom was open. The floorboards creaked quietly under her boots as she crouched down as low as she could, slowly lifting her hand and taking hold of the door handle. With a deep breath, Astrid flung the door open, charging into her room with the dagger at the ready.

Surprisingly, the room look relatively undisturbed. The clothes she had laundered earlier that day where folded neatly on her bed, a pile of papers for the dragon manual laid neatly across her bedside table. The curtains ruffled gently as the wind blew in through the open window. Relaxing slightly, Astrid lowered the dagger. Was this just a random act of vandalism, some cruel prank, or was someone looking for something, but what?

Suddenly, from outside the window, Astrid heard a faint rustle, no louder than that, but she was sure she heard something. Racing over the window, she stared out into the ever increasing darkness. And that's when she saw it. Someone was out there, huddled behind a bush, shrouded in a long black cloak and hood. The figure saw Astrid at the window, and took off into the night.

"HEY, STOP RIGHT THERE!"

The fleeing intruder paid her no head, so Astrid turned and ran as fast as she could back through the house, tossing the dagger to the floor, bursting out of the front door and sprinting round the side of the house. Stormfly roared as Astrid sped towards her, flapping her wings in panic.

"LET'S GO GIRL, AFTER HIM!"

Astrid almost leapt into Stormfly's saddle, rearing her dragon round and cracking on the reigns. The Nadder ran a few steps forward, before leaping into the air. Toothless bounded after the pain, taking to off just behind them. Astrid sped in the direction the figure had run off, giving chase with her focus firmly fixed on the small trail of footprints on the frosted ground.

"COME ONE GIRL, FASTER!" Astrid ordered. The Nadder responded and powered forward. Almost instantly, Astrid spotted the intruded running through the canopy of trees below them, their long cloak catching on the jagged branches. With a small tug on the reigns, Astrid manoeuvred herself and her dragon above the fleeing stranger. Drawing her axe, she carefully positioned herself in the saddle and leapt into the air.

She crashed into the back of the intruder with the sole of her boot, sending then sprawling across the ground with a thud and an undignified, but distinctly male grunt. As she landed, Astrid rolled forward to cushion the impact, regaining her balance quickly and charging towards her downed target. The hooded figure attempted to scramble away, until Astrid planted her foot squarely into his chest pinning him to the ground. She held the blade of the axe to the man's throat, causing him to slowly raise his hands in surrender.

"Who are you and what were you doing in my house?" Astrid barked.

"Please…..don't kill me, I was only…..I was only following orders" The man whimpered, his hands visibly shaking.

"Whose orders?"

"If I tell you, they'll kill me for sure"

"I'LL KILL YOU RIGHT HERE IF YOU DON'T START TALKING!" Astrid roared, pressing the blade into his flesh. Stormfly and Toothless crashed through the trees, growling menacingly as the approached.

"It was Drogo…..he sent me into your house…..please…..show mercy"

Astrid kept the blade pressed against the man's neck as she reached down and pulled back the hood. The man couldn't have been any older than 20, a look of pure unbridled terror on his face as Astrid stood over him, two snarling dragons circling around them. She desperately wanted to teach this little punk a lesson, show him what it meant to cross her, but she saw something in his eyes, almost like a flicker of innocence, or desperation.

"I'm going to lock you away, and believe me, unless you give me answers, you are going to wish you'd never set foot on Berk" Astrid snarled, slowly removing the axe blade, motioning for the man to get up. Toothless and Stormfly slowly drew closer, causing the man to whimper even louder in fear, "Leave him" Astrid ordered to the dragons, who slowly back away, "Move now"

The young man complied, gingerly stepping between the two snarling reptiles. Astrid pushed her axe tip into his back, leading him back towards the village.

* * *

A canopy of luminous stars had materialized amongst the ocean of blackness of the night sky. Some were dull, merely flickering into existence every now and then, but there was an adequate amount of shimmering stars to illuminate the dark, moonless night. The surface of the ocean glistened, mirroring the dazzling assemblage high above them.

But it wasn't the stars that Fishlegs was focusing on at that moment. Something else even more incredible was happening high in the darkness. The sky was covered by a soft green glow, shimmering pink curtains and white coil of rays flowing overhead. Lifting his gaze from his charts, Fishlegs felt an all-encompassing sense of wonder, rendering him completely speechless. He was witnessing the most amazing of nature's phenomena, a phenomenon he thought until this point, to be nothing more than a children's story, a legend.

"Unbelievable"

"Master Fishlegs, what do you call that?" Johan called from the helm, marvelling at the dancing colours in the night's sky.

"I remember my parents used to tell me stories about it when I was young. I think it's called the Aurora" Fishlegs called back, pulling out his notebook and scribbling a description of what he was seeing.

"It is truly beautiful" Johan commented, adjusting the wheel of the ship. The waves lapped against the hull as they cut through the water. Johan hadn't been lying; his ship really was one of the fastest in the Archipelago.

"It is" Fishlegs replied, finishing his writing and putting his notebook back into his bag. Gazing down at his charts, he was fairly satisfied that they were on the correct course. With luck, they would reach their destination before dawn. Fishlegs walked away from the map table, joining Johan at the helm of the ship.

"I have to say Master Ingerman, this sudden thirst for adventure is not something I expected from you" said Johan, adjusting the wheel of ship slightly.

"Yeah, well, desperate times I guess" Fishlegs shrugged, peering back towards the night sky.

"I'm surprised you didn't ask young Miss Thorston to accompany you on this little trip" Johan sniggered. Fishlegs felt his cheeks flush red as he shuffled awkwardly on his feet.

"Uhm…well…I uhm…ahem…" Fishlegs stammered as he cleared his throat, twirling his fingers in his hands. Johan laughed quietly at the sight of his friends' obvious embarrassment at the question.

"Oh there's no need for embarrassment young master, I know love when I see it"

"You don't….I can't…she would never…" Fishlegs bumbled, the words becoming more and more muddled the more he tried to protest, "…Is it so obvious to everyone else"

"I believe so. You two would make a fine couple. Have you ever…you know…told her, how you feel?"

"No…she'd never be interested in me anyway. She's funny, beautiful and more fun than anyone I've ever met. I can't stop thinking about her Johan….but I'm not a warrior like the others, I'm just…a nerd" Fishlegs sighed, sadness filling his voice. The truth was, he did have feelings for Ruffnut, more than he had for anyone else in the world. Ever since they were young, he'd had the urge to tell how he truly felt, but he had never been able to muster enough courage to do it. And now, he was sailing far away, and on the brisk of all-out war, he wondered if he'd ever get the chance.

"You give yourself too little credit. Maybe she isn't attracted to the brawny type, perhaps it is your smarts, your kindness and your compassion she likes" Johan commented.

"You really think so?" Fishlegs asked, a small glimpse of hope in his eyes.

"You'll never know until you tell her"

"Wow Johan…I guess you are pretty wise"

"I've travelled the world my friend, seen so many things. I know I sometimes blather on about my adventures, but I've learned a few valuable life lessons along the way. You can't spend your whole life wondering 'What If?' You've got to seize every opportunity"

Johan stopped mid-sentence, staring out at the vast black ocean. The smell of salt filled his nostrils, the wind tugged at his beard, and he let out a long sigh.

"Johan…are you all right?" Fishlegs asked, resting his hand on Johan's shoulder

"That is why I love the sea" Johan said softly, rather ignoring Fishlegs question, "No matter how much we try and tame her, she is a beast that cannot be reeled in. Her waves and currents go where they want, whenever they want, with no one to tell them otherwise. That is how I live my life, I take every opportunity, and folly to anyone who tells me not to. I will never forget, I will never regret, I will live my life"

Fishlegs had never heard Johan talk with such passion before. The usually eccentric trader was pouring his heart out, and he was clinging on every word. Perhaps he was right; perhaps he just had to say how he felt, regardless of the consequences. He didn't want to go through the rest of his life wondering what could have been if he'd just spoken up.

"So you're saying I should tell Ruffnut how I feel?" Fishlegs asked

"I'm saying you should follow whatever path you think is best. You need to appreciate the memories you have with people, not begrudge the ones you never got to make. Do you want to live your life with regrets over things you didn't do, or feel pride in the things you did?"

For a few moments, Fishlegs said nothing. His head was swimming with Johan's advice, and it was good advice. He couldn't spend any more time holding his feeling back, even if he was afraid of what would happen if he did tell Ruffnut how he felt, it was a risk he was willing to take.

"You know Johan…I enjoy all your stories" Fishlegs said kindly. Johan turned to face the young Viking, the corners of his mouth curved up in a broad smile.

"I appreciate that Master Ingerman….thank you"

A new sound was then noticed by both Vikings, the cawing of seagulls circling high above their heads. A thick fog blanket hung low over the waves, the bow of the ship cutting through them effortlessly. Fishlegs fumbled in his pocket, pulling out his spy glass and peering into the darkness ahead. Small lights flickered off in the distance, hundreds of them. He couldn't make out any buildings, but the lights were all he needed to see.

"Do you see land?" Johan asked. Fishlegs handed him the spyglass, jogging back down the deck and gathering up his charts. The trader raised the glass to his eyes, squinting through the lens. Fishlegs stuffed the last of his maps back into his back as Johan turned the ship towards the lights.

"LAND HO!"

Fishlegs bounded to the front of the ship, watching as the lights drew closer and closer. They had made it.

"There it is…..Skyrim"

* * *

Hiccup had never run so fast in his entire life. His muscles felt like they were about to explode, every bone in his body ached as he sped away from the Berserkers. Thorin raced by alongside him, their combined Whirlwind Sprint shouts echoing in the darkness of the forest. The pain in his arm was fierce, the cut from Dagur's blade was not that deep, but the still painful blisters and scars from the burns of the Dragon fire were excruciating.

The trees flashed past in the blink of an eye, until at long last, they emerged on the far side of the forest. Hiccup skidded to a halt, sweat pouring from his brow. He was exhausted; his breath was short and his brain was frazzled.

"Looks like we lost them" Thorin huffed, whipping his forehead with his hand.

"I hope so" Hiccup replied, resting his aching frame against the trunk of a cedar tree, sliding Nethersbane back into its scabbard.

"Are you alright Hiccup, let me take a look at your arm"

Hiccup tentatively held out his arm, blood soaking the sleeve of his shirt. Gently, Thorin pulled the fabric back, resulting in a painful hiss from Hiccup as the material tugged on his skin. Thorin examined the wound, being extra cautious not to aggravate it any further.

"The cut is not too bad, but these burns will need treatment. Come on, it isn't far back to Riverwood, there is an Inn there where we can rest"

"Yes I know about the Inn, I've already been there" Hiccup replied, lowering his sleeve back over his forearm.

"You have? When?" Thorin quizzed, sitting down on a large boulder nearby.

"The greybeards sent me to retrieve a horn from a tomb near Ustengrav, but all I found was a note telling me to go to the Inn. I was there just yesterday"

"A note? A note from whom?" Thorin asked.

"A woman called Delphine"

"Ah, Delphine of course. I should have known" Thorin suddenly smiled, emitting a short chuckle.

"You know her?"

"Oh yes, we have had one or two little….adventures together her and I"

"Ugh, I'm pretty sure I don't even want to know" Hiccup grumbled, only causing Thorin to smile wider and laugh louder.

"It's nothing like that brother. As a Blade, she is sworn to serve the Dragonborn, sworn to serve you. She could prove to be a great ally"

"Well, all she's done so far is find inventive ways of nearly getting me killed. She was the one that was with me when we fought the Dragon near Kynesgrove, and the one who sent me into the Thalmor embassy"

"I guess I owe here thanks then. If she hadn't sent you in, I'd still be locked up in there"

Hiccup nodded in agreement. Thorin did have a point, even if the documents he had taken proved useless, at least going into the embassy had a positive. Looking back towards the forest, a worrying through crossed Hiccups mind.

"What are we going to do about Dagur? It's only a matter of time before we run into him again" Hiccup asked. Thorin's smile quickly faded, replaced by a resolute stare.

"He will pay for what he's done Hiccup, that I swear. I will send word to some of my men; they can go to Solitude and make sure everyone is safe…then they'll hunt down that bastard"

"But what about Elisif?" Hiccup asked.

"If I know one thing about Elisif, is that she is a strong women, more than capable of handling a brute like Dagur"

"But he overtook her city. Maybe she's not as capable as you thought?" Hiccup's voice was racked with concern. He had only met Elisif once, but regardless of that, it tied his stomach in knots at the thought of anything bad happening to her and her people because of him. A sharp and sudden flash of pain in his arm resonated up his shoulder. With gritted teeth, Hiccup slumped down to one knee, grasping the wound with his free hand. The pain was getting more and more intense by the moment.

"Right now my concern is getting you healthy again. Come on, the roads aren't safe after dark"

Thorin softly took hold of Hiccup's good arm, lifting his brother back to his feet. The gentle hooting of a nearby owl and the crunching of the dry dirt beneath their boots were the only sound the brothers could hear as they walked back down the road. Thankfully, they didn't see anyone else in their path, and before long, the small huts of the village came into view. They quickly made their way through the quiet streets, arriving at the Inn and pushing open the door. Delphine was sweeping near the open fireplace when they entered, her gaze lifting from the floor to them as they approached.

"Ah, you're back good, what did you….." Delphine began, but tailed off when she saw Thorin standing beside Hiccup, and the blood staining his shirt.

"Hiccup is wounded, he needs medicine and bandages right away" Thorin asked, helping Hiccup through the door, "Can you help us"

"Yes, yes of course, this way"

Delphine quickly walked over to the side room of the Inn, opening up the passage to the underground room. Hiccup slowly descended the stairs, Thorin following behind. Each little jolt from his foot against the stone floors sent throbbing aches through his arm. Delphine slid the false back of the wardrobe closed before crossing the room to one of the cabinets, clattering and banging as she pulled out fresh bandages and a small glass vile, soaking a clean cloth in the liquid from the vile.

Hiccup took a seat next to the map table, resting his injured arm on the surface. The cut had just about stopped bleeding, but the flesh was still raw and very tender. No doubt he was going to have another scar to explain when he got home. He watched anxiously as Delphine crossed the room, gently pulled back his shirt sleeve and carefully applying the cloth to his arm.

"GAAAAHHHHHH!" Hiccup cried as the familiar stinging sensation shot through his arm, much like it had when Elina had cleaned the arrow wound in his leg during the Berserkers first attack on Berk. Hiccup clenched his fists, dragging his fingernails across the wooden table. Delphine slowly wiped away the blood from the cut, revealing it not to be as deep as they had first feared.

"Who did this to you?" Delphine asked, placing the cloth on the table before reaching for a bundle of fresh bandages.

"It's…..it's a long story" Hiccup winced as Delphine wrapped the bandages tightly around his forearm. The pain was still there, but it had subsidised considerably. Thorin leant against the far wall of the room, pulling out his pipe and herb pouch.

Delphine cleared away the blood soaked cloth and now empty vile from the table, tossing them into an empty wooden bucket. Thorin took a long drag from his pipe, exhaling the smoke slowly. Hiccup looked down at his bandaged arm, flexing his fingers and wrist.

"And what brings you here Thorin?" Delphine asked, placing her hands on her hips. "Last time I saw you, you were getting into a scrap with those bandits near Windhelm"

"Indeed, a good fight that" Thorin smiled, taking another drag on his pipe, the smell of the smoke filling up the room. In a strange way, Hiccup found the smell comforting. At first, he hated the smell of Thorin's pipe smoke, but now, whenever he smelt it, he knew his brother was nearby, and that thought helped calm his mind.

"So, why are you here?" Delphine asked again.

"Well, this man…." Thorin motioned towards Hiccup, "….He's my brother"

Delphine glanced between Hiccup and Thorin, a dumbfounded look of shock and bewilderment etched across her face, replaced quickly by a small smirk.

"Well, you made it out alive, at least. The rest of your gear's safe in my room, as promised. Did you learn anything useful?" Delphine quizzed, pulling up a chair and taking a seat on the far side of the table. Hiccup reached down and pulled the three scrolls he had taken from Elenwen's study out of his bag, sliding them across the table to Delphine. The women's eyes lit up as she tore open the seal on the scroll marked with her own name, reading the content furiously. Quickly, she moved onto the second and the third, scanning each word on the page before dropping the final scroll back onto the table, a look of disappointment and annoyance on her face.

"The Thalmor know nothing about the dragons. Damn it!" Delphine huffed in annoyance, tossing the three scrolls across the room against the wall, "They're investigating them as well, at least according to these. Are you sure this is all you found?"

"Yes, I'm sure" Hiccup replied, flexing his arm. Delphine had done a decent job with the bandages; the pain was almost gone already.

"I just...I was sure it must have been them. If not the Thalmor, who? Or what?"

"Actually Delphine, I think I have something that may interest you" Thorin said from across the room, reaching into his robes and pulling out a fourth parchment scroll, tossing it across the room. Delphine snatched the scroll out the air, unfurled it and quickly began to read. Her eyes widened as she scanned the words, her mouth falling slightly open.

"Esbern? He's alive?" Delphine whispered in shock, "I thought the Thalmor must have got him years ago"

"Esbern? who is Esbern?" Hiccup asked

"He was one of the Blades archivists, back before the Thalmor smashed us in the Great War" Delphine replied, sitting back into her chair, running her hand through her hair, "That crazy old man... Figures the Thalmor would be on his trail, though, if they were trying to figure out what's going on with the dragons."

"What good is one old guy going to do for the Thalmor?" Hiccup asked bluntly

"You mean, aside from wanting to kill every Blade they can get their hands on?" Delphine replied, leaning back in her chair, "He knew everything about the ancient dragon lore of the Blades. Obsessed with it really. Nobody paid much attention back then. I guess he wasn't as crazy as we all thought"

"I guess the Thalmor think the Blades know about the dragons" Thorin added, patting the remains of his pipe herb onto the floor before placing his pipe back inside his pocket.

"Ironic, right? The old enemies assume that every calamity must be a plot by the other side... Even so, we've got to find Esbern before they do. He'll know how to stop the dragons if anybody does. Do they know where he is?" Delphine asked.

"Hiding away in Riften somewhere, they were a little vague on details" Thorin replied, a slight tinge of concern in his voice. Hiccup's noticed this, casting his mind cast back to one of the first conversations he had ever had with Thorin. Riften was the town where Thorin was sent when he first came to Skyrim by Elisif and her husband, to live in the orphanage. From what he had described, it was a ghastly place.

"Riften, eh? Probably down in the Ratway, then. It's where I'd go. You need to find him. Ask around the Ragged Flagon, in the Ratway. It's at least a good starting point" Delphine stuffed the scrolls of parchment into a small chest on the table, closing the lid with a small click, "Oh, and when you find him...if you think I'm paranoid...you may have some trouble getting him to trust you. Just ask him where he was on the 30th of Frostfall. He'll know what it means"

Hiccup stood from his chair and peered down at a small map on the table. His finger scanned the page for a few seconds before he turned to Thorin.

"Right then, let's go" Hiccup declared, rising from his seat and heading for the door.

"But what about your arm? You should rest it?" Delphine protested.

"My arm is fine Delphine, I'm not just going to sit around and wait for another dragon to show up. We'll go find this Esbern fellow and find out what he knows. Then I'll go back to High Hrothgar, finish my last trial" Hiccup paused, his face twisting into a small scowl, "Then maybe I can go home, back to Berk where I belong"

"Hiccup listen…." Thorin began

"No Thorin, the decisions made" Hiccup spat, cutting off his brother mid-sentence, "I know you may have some concerns about going back to Riften, but I can't do this on my own. Are you coming or not".

Thorin was slightly taken aback by the tone in Hiccups voice. The usually calmness was overrun by anger and spite, a venomous bite in each the words. Thorin understood why Hiccup was feeling the way he was, being dragged away from his home was something he understood all too well.

"Of course I'll come brother" Thorin replied, grabbing his ivory bow and following Hiccup towards the steps.

"But the roads aren't safe at night. The countryside will be crawling with bandits and thieves by now" Delphine warned, pulling the map away across the table towards her. Hiccup stopped, slowly turning around to face Delphine, a grin spread on his lips.

"Well…I bet they've never faced the Dragonborn before"

* * *

The tress still rustled as the force of the blast faded. Dagur groaned on the ground as he opened his eyes, his back and arms throbbed in pain from the impact of being thrown to the ground. Around him, his soldiers were slowly getting to their feet, brushing the dirt from their already ragged clothes and helping others who had been wounded in the fight. Dagur rolled onto his belly and pushed himself up, groaning louder still when his back clicking and cracked slightly as he straightened his spine.

"Curse that damn Hiccup" Dagur muttered angrily to himself as he brushed the dirt from his shirt and pants. His prey had escaped again and was probably long gone by now. What was this mysterious power these two possessed? How in the worlds had they come to acquire it? One thing was for certain, he needed a new plan.

"Come on, they headed south!" Dagur barked as he pushed his way through the crowd of soldiers towards the forest, expecting his men to follow him, but as he turned around, his men stood still, unmoving.

"Did you not hear me, I said let's go!" Dagur ordered again, but his men remained unmoving. A slow realisation began to set in for Dagur, and it was not a pleasant thought.

"No Dagur, I grow tired of your schemes, and so do the men. We're not taking orders from you anymore" said one of the lieutenants, stepping to the front of the group, his arms folded defiantly. Dagur felt his cheeks flush a bright red in rage, his fist clenched together in absolute fury.

"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY TO ME!?" Dagur roared. A second soldier then stepped forward, drawing his sword and tossing it to the ground in front of him.

"You heard us, we're done with this, and with you"

Dagur couldn't believe his ears. He had never heard such indiscipline and disrespect. He had never had anyone speak to him like this before.

"YOU WILL OBAY MY COMMANDS, DO YOU HEAR ME? I AM YOU CHIEF AND YOU WILL DO AS I SAY!"

"No Dagur, we don't. Make all the threats you want, but your leadership is destructive and you have flouted our values, putting our lives in constant danger because of your personal vendetta against Hiccup. You let some of your own men fall to their deaths back in those rotten tunnels, and now their wives wait back home for husbands they will never see again. Well no more, you're on your own now"

"I'LL KILL YOU FOR THIS, ALL OF YOU. MARK MY WORDS, YOU WILL REGRET THE DAY YOU TURNED AGAINST ME!" Dagur shrieked, pulling a dagger from his belt and marching towards his mutinous men. One by one, the Berserker soldiers picked up their weapons, standing strong as Dagur approached. The Berserker chief slowed his march, before coming to a stop around 10 feet from the men. Despite his skills as a fighter, he knew he couldn't fight 10 warriors he had trained himself.

"You will pay for this" Dagur hissed, pointing the blade straight at the lieutenant at the front of the group, "I will see to it that none of you ever set foot on Berserker Island again"

"That's fine with us Dagur, we had no intention of returning to that rat infested hell hole anyway" The lieutenant chuckled, turning away from the fuming Berserker. Dagur could feel the veins in his neck bulging as his rage grew. One by one, the now former Berserkers turned from him, walking slowly away from the forest. Dagur could only stand and watch as his men abandoned him.

"YOU'LL ALL BE DEAD MEN YOU HEAR ME…BASTARDS!" Dagur screamed, but the soldiers paid him no attention, continuing their walk away from their deposed leader. Dagur couldn't stand to look, at what were to him, treacherous scum any more, turning away and stomping towards the forest. This was all Hiccups' fault, him and that damn brother of his; they had turned his own men against him, and now he was alone. Dagur crashed and stomped through the trees, scaring off any of the animals that happened to be in his patch.

"Worthless maggots, I don't need them, I can find and kill Hiccup on my own. I'll gut him with my bare hands, and then do the same to his damn brother"

The raging Berserker lost all track of how long he walked. His mind was racing with so many murderous thoughts that there wasn't much room for anything else. What was he going to do now, he couldn't rely on brute force anymore, he would have to be more cunning, more cunning than he had ever been in his life.

But in the back of his mind, a small crumb of comfort still lingered. He knew that in just 5 days, the rest of his army would invade Berk. They would pillage, plunder and murder, burning the entire island to the ground as they went. Even if Hiccup did manage to evade him and return home, he wouldn't have a home to return to, and the extra coin he had paid to Drogo and his fleet would just add to the carnage. Sure, half a million gold pieces was an enormous amount, but it would be money well spent to rid the archipelago of those dragon loving Hooligans.

Dagur continued to walk through the forest, almost aimlessly at times. The moon was not out on this particular night, so the sky was dark, only the twinkling of the stars shone in the blackness above him. After hours of wondering through the woods, he came to a clearing. Off in the distance, he could see the lights of another city and a sign in the road pointing down a narrow pathway.

"Morthal?"

Dagur glanced between the sign and the city lights. Perhaps he could find some more men in the city, men that worked for coin rather than loyalty. Yes, that was exactly what he needed, a new army.

But then, out of the darkness, came a thunderous roar, a sound like metal tearing itself apart. Dagur froze to the spot, his eyes scanning the night sky. He couldn't see anything against the inky blackness; all he could hear was the echoing sound of the roar. Small beads of sweat began forming on his brow.

And then, he saw it. It came thundering out of the sky, a huge, jet back dragon, larger than any he had ever seen. Its wings must have been 30 feet wide, maybe more. The creature landed with a almighty thud in front of him, its razor sharp claws ripping up and shaking the soft dirt of the road. Dagur could do nothing but stare into its eyes, its dark yellow eyes, glowing with hatred and fury. He wanted to run, but his legs would not do what his brain was telling them. It was not often that Dagur the Deranged got scared, but when faced with a creature like this, his blood ran cold. The dragon snarled as it slowly approached; red hot plumes of smoke spilling from its massive jaws. Dagur remained frozen to the spot as the creature stood face to face with him.

**_"_****_Hi los vahzah wah faas zu'u joor, nikriin ko dii qalos"_**

"Please...don't kill me…." Dagur spluttered, his hands trembling in front of him. The dragon growled as he drew closer and closer.

**_"_****_And tell me, why I should spare your life?"_**

"You….you can speak…." Dagur said in amazement. This was incredible, a dragon had just spoken to him, and he could understand it perfectly, "Who….who are you?"

**_"_****_I am Alduin, eater of worlds, and I despise speaking in your tongue, so answer my question, and do so quickly. Why should I let you live"_**

"I….uhh….well….I can…."

**_"_****_ANSWER ME FOOLISH MORTAL!" _**the dragon roared, so loud that it made Dagur's ears ring painfully.

"If you let me live….I swear…. I swear to serve you….oh great Alduin" Dagur pleaded, dropping down to one knee and bowing his head to the dragon, who merely snorted in response, sending it's hot breath rolling down Dagur's spine.

**_"_****_What can you possibly offer to me? And do not speak to me of loyalty. I know the sting of betrayal more than you know, and once I defeat Dovahkiin, the Dragonborn, I will have no need of loyalty from anyone"_**

"The Dragonborn?" Dagur smirked, getting back to his feet, "I can help you with that"

**_"_****_And how exactly is that?"_**

"I know who the Dragonborn is. I've been hunting him as well. Let me serve you, and I promise to end him. Working together, he doesn't stand a chance"

The dragon paused momentarily, swaying slowly from side to side. Dagur knew that with this dragon on his side, Hiccup couldn't escape him again.

**_"_****_Very well" _**the Dragon finally replied, turning away from Dagur and spreading its wings ready for flight**_, "But be warned, if you are lying, or fail me, you shall burn"_**

With a huge gust, the dragon took the skies, disappearing once again against the darkness. Dagur shielded his eyes as the dust swirled around him, a devilish grin across his lips. Finally, he had the ally he needed, and a long last, he would have his revenge.

* * *

The ride to Riften had been spent in almost complete silence, the few people they had passed posing no threat. Hiccup followed close behind Thorin as the city of Riften came into view. In the dark, Hiccup couldn't make out much except for the large lake lay to west of the wooden city walls, like a giant pool of ink under the dark night skies. As they rode over the bridge and approached the city gates, Hiccup saw two guards standing on watch, a small tower looming over one side of the gate. One of the guards stepped forward to greet them, his hand held up as a signal to stop.

"I'm sorry sir, but we do not allow outsiders into the city after dark, you will have to come back in the morning.

"I am Thane of Whiterun, here on official business for Jarl Balgruuf" Hiccup replied, sitting straight in his horses saddle, puffing his chest in an attempt to make himself look more official. Thorin sniggered under his breath at Hiccups new found pose.

"If you are Thane of Whiterun, I presume you have some form of documentation to prove it?" the guard asked. Hiccup reached down to his weapons, pulling out the Axe of Whiterun and presenting it to the guard.

"The Axe of Whiterun, a personal gift to me from Jarl Balgruuf. I hope this is as much proof as you need"

The guard took the axe and examined the weapon quickly, the glow of the blade illuminating his face. After a few moments, the guard handed the axe back to Hiccup and called out to the top of the tower.

"Open the gates!" the guard commanded, stepping aside as the doors to the city creaked opened. Hiccup quickly stowed the axe back into his weapons belt and motioned his horse forward slowly through the gates into the city. Riften wasn't like any of the other towns or cities Hiccup had visited since he arrived in Skyrim. The whole place seemed to be built on large platforms, suspending the entire town above the river, the usual cobble stones roads replaced by long wooden walkways. Buildings lined the quite walkways, shops, Inns, even a church of some kind. The streets were deserted at this late hour, the only light and noises were coming from the lower levels of the walkways.

Hiccup and Thorin dismounted and quickly tied up the horses at the nearest feeding post they could find. Quickly, they set off across the upper walkways towards the steps leading down to the lower levels. They passed through the empty market square, the stalls locked and bolted up for the night. A single door lay at the bottom of the steps, a dilapidated wooden sign swinging above it.

_'__The Ragged Flagon'_

Thorin pushed open the door, revealing a long dark corridor. Hiccup stepped inside, welcomed by the sound water flowing up ahead and a horrific scent. The floors were covered in rat droppings, crawling insects and small bones.

"Gahh, why do these places always have the same stink" Hiccup gagged, covering his nose and mouth with his hand.

"It isn't called the Rataways for nothing Hiccup" Thorin replied. Slowly, they began walking down the corridor. Torches flickered on the walls, producing just enough light for them to see where they were going. A second door stood before them at the end of the corridor, and through it, Hiccup could hear the sound of faint voices. The brothers exchanged a quick glance before Hiccup pushed open the door.

The tavern itself was almost completely abandoned. The few people inside, sat at several long tables, appeared to be dangerous in one way or another, all manner of blades and axes hanging from the belts and scabbards. Whoever they were, it was making Hiccup a little nervous. The tavern was as dire inside as it is looked from the outside. Wooden beams supported the upper floor with lanterns attached to them, a large algae covered pool of water lay right in the centre. The walls were covered in drawings of what were undoubtedly better times for this tavern. Hiccup and Thorin approached the bar on the far side of the room, avoiding eye contact with any of the patrons. The bartender was smoking a foul smelling herb, making no effort to acknowledge their presence.

"We're looking for an old guy, name of Esbern, hiding out somewhere down here. Know anyone like that?" Thorin asked bluntly, taking a seat at the bar.

"Lot of old guys around. I don't really know how I can help" replied the bartender, turning his attention back to a collection of dirty goblets in front of him.

"Look, we need to find him. We're friends. His life is in danger"

"That's a touching story. Now get outta my face" The bartender replied unmoved. It was clear to Hiccup and Thorin that they weren't going to get answers from this guy out of the kindness of his heart.

"Maybe this will help your memory" said Thorin, producing a small pouch of gold from his belt, plopping it down onto the bar. The bartender looked up from his goblets, eyeing up the pouch with contempt.

"Big talk for someone with a light purse" The bartender snickered. Hiccup was getting angry now; they didn't have time to mess around with stupid questions. They had to find Esbern, and he was getting tired of wannabe tough guys like this wasting their time. In moment of rage, Hiccup slammed his fist down on the bar, knocking over a small wine goblet, spilling its contents all over the floor. Thorin looked to his brother in slight shock as Hiccup glared at the surprised bartender.

"Are you going to tell us, or am I going to have to beat it out of you?!" the young Viking barked. A number of patrons on the other tables looked towards the commotion with furrowed brows. The bartender placed his cloth on the bar, backing away slightly with his palms raised up.

"Hey there's no need for that, not like he's a friend of mine or anything, just calm down. I think I do know the old guy you're talking about. He's holed up in the Ratway Warrens, nice place, if you don't mind the stench, the rats, and assorted lowlifes as neighbours. Hardly ever leaves, has someone bring him food and such. Crazy old coot, from what I've heard. For that to stand out down here, he must really be off his nut"

"There, was that so hard" Hiccup smiled weakly, lifting his fist from the bar.

"Be careful. You're not the only one looking for him"

"What do you mean? Who else is down there?" Thorin asked

"Thalmor soldiers went down there less than half a day ago. Looked like they were prepared for a long stay if you ask me" replied the bartender, nodding towards an open passage.

"Thank you for your help" Thorin stood from the bar, sliding the pouch of gold to the bar tender, the coins jangling as they landed in his hand, "Keep this….to pay for the spilled drinks"

Hiccup and Thorin quickly walked away from the bar, passing through the archway at the far side of the tavern. They walked deeper into the Rataways shadows, passing by many rooms and passages, most of which probably lead to other depths of the underground they didn't want to explore. The few rooms they passed with people inside them showed that the bar tender had not been exaggerating, the entire place seemed to be populated by the most desperate low-lives, locked in their own dog-eat-dog existence. The floor was littered with rusted weapons, broken bottles and sewage, the light from the tavern quickly died away in the distance, like it was being swallowed. The stench was fouler than ever before.

Eventually, Hiccup spotted what was likely the final room. A thick metal door stood before them, intricate designs painted all over it, somehow untouched by time and the elements. Hiccup stepped closer to inspect it, running his fingers across the markings before wrapping his knuckles three times against the cold metal surface. For a few moments, there was no answer, before a small hatch in the door clicked open, revealing the face of an old man on the other side. The old man had a fringe of grey-white hair around his balding, mottled scalp. He had a wizened face and a back slightly hunched. He had the resigned look of one who knows that at his age life has stopped giving and only takes away.

"Go away!"

"The Thalmor have found you. You need to get out of here" said Thorin, resting his hand on the metal door, peering into the room through the hatch.

"Oh, how reassuring! Most likely you're with them and this is just a trick to get me to open the door. Leave me alone!" the old man replied, slamming the hatch closed with a clank. Hiccup and Thorin glanced at one another, both nodding in silent agreement that this was the old man they were looking for.

"Esbern, open the door. I'm a friend" Hiccup called out, knocking on the door once more. The hatch opened up again, revealing the withered face of the old man.

"What?! No, that's not me. I'm not Esbern. I don't know what you're talking about"

"It's okay Esbern, Delphine sent us"

"Delphine?" the old man replied, his voice slightly less brash than it had been, "How do you...so you've finally found her, and she led you to me. And here I am, caught like a rat in a trap"

"So you are Esbern. Delphine said to remember the 30th of Frostfall. She said you'd know what it meant" said Thorin.

"Ah. Indeed, indeed. I do remember. Delphine really is alive, then? You'd better come in then and tell me how you found me and what you want"

Esbern closed the hatch once more, but this time, the sound of various locks and bolts undoing echoed through the dank passage.

"This'll just take a moment... This one always sticks...there we go. Only a couple more. There we are! Come in, come in! Make yourself at home!"

The room was barely six feet by four. The walls were the same thick grey stone as the dwellings of the region. Given enough time, a person could forget their own name in here. The isolation was total and the stimulation was zero. No sound, no light, no furniture or cloth of any kind. With dirt covered stone floors, a bucket and a bare mattress, anyone else would have called Esberns room a prison cell. There was nothing to hold the mind or attention, nothing even to mark time.

"That's better. Now we can talk. So, Delphine keeps up the fight, after all these years. I thought she'd have realized it's hopeless by now. I tried to tell her, years ago"

"Listen Esbern, the Thalmor have found you. We have to get out of here"

"Yes, yes, so you said. But so what?" Esbern replied, a dejected tone in his words, "The end is upon us. I may as well die here as anywhere else. I'm tired of running"

"What do you mean?" Hiccup asked, leaning against the door, the cold metal sending shivers across his skin.

"Haven't you figured it out yet? What more needs to happen before you all wake up and see what's going on? Alduin has returned, just like the prophecy said! The Dragon from the dawn of time, who devours the souls of the dead! No one can escape his hunger, here or in the afterlife!"

Hiccup listened as Esbern ranted. It felt like he was instantly transported to another place and time. Esberns voice was slow, and he stumbled on his words at times. Sometimes he was overtaken by emotions that had been buried for decades and he would have to pause. When he gesticulated it was with the creak of age in his bones.

"Alduin will devour all things and the world will end. Nothing can stop him! I tried to tell them. They wouldn't listen. Fools. It's all come true...all I could do was watch our doom approach"

"Alduin….The dragon that's been raising the others?" Hiccup asked, the image of the giant black dragon, hovering above the dragon graves flooded back into his thoughts, the sounds of his roar still ringed in his ears.

"Yes! Yes! You see, you know but you refuse to understand! It's all been foretold. The end has begun. Alduin has returned. Only a Dragonborn can stop him. But no Dragonborn has been known for centuries. It seems that the gods have grown tired of us. They've left us to our fate, as the plaything of Alduin the World-Eater" Esbern slumped down into the only chair in the room, burying his face in his hands.

"It's not hopeless, Esbern. We've found a Dragonborn" Thorin smiled, walking across the room and resting his hand on the old man's shoulder. Esbern looked up at Thorin, a glimmer of optimism in his dull grey eyes.

"What? Who?" he asked eagerly. Thorin only smiled wider, looking up towards Hiccup. Esbern turned to face him as well, a look of shock and disbelief on his harrowed features.

"You...Dragonborn? Is it really true? Can it really be true? Dragonborn? Then...there is hope! The gods have not abandoned us! I've lived without hope for so long... The prophecies are clear. Only the Dragonborn can stop Alduin. We must go, quickly now. Take me to Delphine. There is much to discuss. But, give me...just a moment... I must gather a few things"

Esbern quickly pulled a small bag out of the only chest in the room, gathering up a variety of objects and tossing the inside.

I'll need this... No, no, useless trash...where'd I put my annotated Anuad? One moment, I know, time is of the essence, but mustn't leave secrets behind for the Thalmor...there's one more thing I must bring... Well, I guess that's good enough...let's be off..."

* * *

**Wow, what a chapter, I think the story is all starting to fall into place. We are getting close to one of my favourite interactions in the whole of Skyrim; I would tell you which, but what fun would that be? Speaking of fun, I have snuck in a line of a song from one of my favourite groups into this chapter. Can you find it? PM if you think you know it. Maybe I'll give a sneak peak at the next chapter to the first person that finds it. Stay tuned.**


	24. Chapter 24 - Alduin's Wall

**Hi guys,**

**First of all, I am so sorry it has taken me so long to update. Life is crazy right now with work; football and other stuff and I have literally been restricted to maybe 15 minutes writing time a day for the last 2 months. I will try my best to get more regular updates out from now on, but if they are delayed, I am sorry, they will be published as soon as I can get them written. I'm currently sat in a hotel room in Norway, finally able to update the story.**

**Congratulations to Ranger77 for being the first reader to correctly guess the song line from the last chapter. During the conversation between Fishlegs and Johan, Johan said 'I will never forget, I will never regret, I will live my life'. This is from the track 'Closer to the Edge' by 30 Seconds to Mars, so again well done Ranger77**

* * *

Once again, the few patrons of the tavern gave the trio some wary looks as they passed by, but otherwise left them undisturbed. The bar tender in particular made extra effort to avert his gaze as Hiccup passed by, keen to avoid another confrontation.

"Not a very friendly bunch are they?" Hiccup remarked once they were out of ear shot.

"They don't trust strangers" Esbern replied, yanking open the exit door.

A ferocious wind blew straight at them, extinguishing all the torch lights inside the corridor. There was certainly nothing friendly about the storm raging outside; snow falling thick enough to blind any traveller by foot or by horse and wagon. The gale whipped each flake, so pretty on its own, into a projectile that bit against their unguarded skin. The sky above was thick with black clouds, so much that not a single star was now visible, and the sound, like one wind-chime taking the full blunt of these almost hurricane force winds. "Blizzard" hardly seems an adequate enough word for what the world outside had become. But they couldn't just hang around; they needed to get back to Riverwood.

"THIS SEEMS LIKE A BAD IDEA; PERHAPS WE SHOULD WAIT FOR THE STORM TO PASS!" Esbern shouted, his voice barely carrying above the noise of the wind howling all around them.

"WE CAN'T WAIT THAT LONG, WE HAVE TO GO NOW!" Thorin shouted back, pulling his hood close over his face and stepping out into the blizzard. Hiccup quickly reached into his bag, pulling out two wolf skin gloves he had taken from the Inn back in Riverwood. Esbern huddled up in his coat and followed Thorin into the storm as Hiccup pulled on the gloves and stepped out after them. The wind howled, and snow pelted against him as he struggled to reach the steps to the upper level of the city walkway, the wind buffeting one way, and then another.

Planting his foot firmly on the bottom steps, Hiccup climbed the steps, following the footprints being left behind by Thorin and Esbern. The wind forced him the grasp onto the railing to prevent him from being blown over the side into the surely freezing water of the river. He had never felt wind like this before, not even on Berk. Slowly but surely, the trio made their way through the town. The buildings looked blurred in the swirling storm; the lantern lights had grown so weak that Hiccup could barely see them.

At last, they arrived at the city gates. The guards had wisely taken shelter as they were nowhere to be seen. Untying their horses, Hiccup climbed into his saddle. Thorin heaved the gates open just enough for them to exit as Esbern climbed onto his horse. Thorin quickly climbed into his saddle in front of Esbern, kicking his hells and riding through the gates. Hiccup followed, raising a gloved hand to shield his eyes. All he could do was to bow his head until his chin touched his chest and keep riding. Though his feet were beginning to freeze and his horses footsteps were small, sinking in past her ankles with each stride, he knew that each step took them closer to Riverwood.

The blizzard had grown so fierce that there was no way to know which direction to go; the usual landmarks were hidden behind the white that swirled so densely. Even Thorin and Esbern, riding only a few feet in front of him, were little more than a crude outline mostly erased by the storm. Hiccup could literally feel his blood cool and his skin become icy. They shouldn't carry on, not in this weather. Disorientation was a given; and the cold was a killer.

"THORIN, WE HAVE TO FIND SHELTER!" Hiccup cried out, but the wind carried his voice faster than he could speak. The world was being erased all around them, and they'd be with it if they didn't find shelter.

"OVER THERE!"

Hiccup could barely hear or see Thorin, but through the white blanket in front of him, he was able to make out his brother pointing to something, though he couldn't see what. Hiccup squinted through the snow, doing his best to follow the blurred outlines in front of him. He heaved his legs against the gale, against the pressure building on his chest and hitting his face like it intended to go right through. He could feel his horse starting to shake from the strain beneath him, so he took that opportunity climb from his saddle and walk side by side with his mount.

The wind continued to bluster and whine between the trees until, through his snow blinded gaze, Hiccup caught sight of a small cabin up ahead. It looked pretty dilapidated, but it was at least some form of shelter from the cold. Thorin and Esbern had already dismounted by the time he reached them, Thorin flinging open the door and ushering them inside, man and beast alike, it was hardly fair for them to take refuge and leave their companions outside to freeze to death.

Hiccup led his horde through the doors, allowing Thorin to slam the door closed behind them, finally escaping the storm. The oldest residents of the apparent abandoned cabin were the spiders. Many generations had laced the walls with cobwebs of intricate beauty, though now even they lay in dusty rags. Sections of ceiling hung limp in the stagnant air, fragments of rotting wood lie damp over a long untrodden floor. A cold air seeped through the rotten and blistered window frames, nursing the mildew that crawled up the walls. The only positive Hiccup could find in the dank cabin was that there was enough room inside to shelter them all for a time, and a few chairs and a table for them to sit at.

The three men brushed the snow from their clothes, the white flakes falling and melting on the already wet floor. Hiccup removed his gloves and looked down at his hands, which despite his gloves, were red and cold to the touch. His nose felt like it was about to fall off his face it was so cold. Despite now being indoors, he could still see his breath hanging in the air.

"Whoa, what a storm" Esbern huffed, cupping his hands together and breathing into them for warmth. Thorin pulled his hood back, running his hand through his hair three times in quick succession to rid it of any lingering snowflakes.

"Indeed, it seems to have come from nowhere?" Thorin replied, gazing out of the dirt covered windows, seemingly pointlessly as the white of the blizzard covered almost everything in sight. Thorin took this chance to reach into his robes and take out his pipe, patting the familiar brown herb into the chamber before igniting it with his flint rocks. Hiccup rubbed his hands together rapidly, the feeling slowly returning to his fingers. The horses quietly huddled together for warmth.

"What if this isn't a natural storm?" Hiccup asked. Thorin and Esbern gave him the same confused expression.

"What do you mean?" Esbern replied.

"I think this could be a dragon shout. The greybeards taught it to me. It's called Storm Call"

"No one in this word has a power that strong, only an incredibly powerful dragon could summon a storm like this. You don't think that…." Esbern began, his voice trailing off as the grim realisation of Hiccups predication began to set it.

"Yes…..Alduin"

"It would explain the suddenness of the storm, especially this far south" Thorin added, blowing his pipe smoke into the cold air, which hung like a dense fog. Hiccup looked out of the window at the blizzard, which if anything was growing stronger. He half expected to see the huge black outline of the dragon hovering overhead, those dark and evil eyes glaring at him, ready to strike at them without warning. But all he saw was the white sheet of the storm, a sheet that had completely replaced the darkness of the night.

"Well whatever is causing it, looks like we may be here for a while; we should probably get some rest" Esbern commented, stretching his arms out and yawning widely. Thorin nodded in agreement, patting the herbs from his pipe onto the ground, which sizzled and hissed as the hot embers met the wet floorboards. Pulling out a chair, tired-eyed, Thorin slumped over the table. Hiccup watched as his brother fell almost instantly asleep, snoring loudly.

"You should rest to Dragonborn, you will need all your energy" said Esbern, pulling a blanket from his bag and placing it on the floor.

"No, I'm fine." Hiccup muttered in response, rubbing his eyes fiercely.

"You're lying" Esbern replied.

"I said I'm fine Esbern" Hiccup snapped back, an underlying venom in his voice. Esbern could only sigh in response, laying down on the blanket and closing his eyes. Hiccup slumped into a dust covered chair next to the window, placing his bag gently on the floor next to him. He didn't want to sleep, not yet anyway.

His mind drifted to Berk as he stared at the white blanket outside, to his home, his friends and family, Toothless and of course Astrid. His stomach turned in knots as he thought about them, how much he missed them. All he wanted was to be back there, to return to the same streets and homes, to the same people. He wondered if anything would have changed in his absence.

It was strange, being so far away from everything he cared about, but despite this, Hiccup still remembered everything about the place, even the little things, like the blue hydrangeas planted in his front yard, the soft tinkling of the wind chimes that reminded him of summer afternoons. Slowly, Hiccup reached into his pocket, pulling out a familiar object. The small red box, the golden ring inside, a reminder of the promise he had made, the promise to come back.

And if there was one thing anyone knew about Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, he always kept his promises.

* * *

Fishlegs watched as the harbour came into focus through the fog. Above the gulls swooped, crying in that repetitive way they do. From the torches lining the docks, he could already see the local fisherman working, pulling in their morning catch, hauling large barrels across the planks to their stalls for sale.

_'__CLUNK'_

The bow of the Jager collided softly with the jetty, yet despite his own excitement, Fishlegs could tell that everyone else milling around the harbour seemed distracted and tense, hurrying, eyes cast down - as if they had been beamed into paradise but didn't have the time to notice. Picking up his bag, the burly Viking hopped down over the rail onto the dock.

"Safe travels Master Fishlegs; I hope our paths cross again soon!" Johan called down from the helm, locking off the steering as he gathered up his own belongings. Fishlegs smiled and waved to Johan as he began to walk along the docks. Not one of the locals even glanced his way as he passed; they just carried on with whatever activity they were doing, as if there wasn't a complete stranger fresh off a boat wandering into their city. From what Johan had told him during the voyage, he was expecting a bright and vibrant city, but clearly that was not the case.

The further and further he went, the fewer people Fishlegs could see. Every time he had travelled with Hiccup to one of their neighbouring tribes, the early morning was always the busiest time of the day. Market traders would already be out in force, calling out to anyone who passed by to sell their wares. Huge stands filled with spices and cloth would cast the streets in colour, the smell of freshly baked bread and the sound of children's playful laughter would fill the air.

But he could sense none of that. Instead, the entire city seemed to be over cast in fear. No trader calls, amazing spices to smell or playful children frolicking in the streets, just the odd guard wondering around. A gust of dry wind rushed through the maze of houses, rattling of the shutters of boarded up windows. He passed one building with all its doors hanging on the few threads of their hinges, groaning with every sway.

But up ahead, he saw a building that was, as far as he could see, untouched by whatever it was making the rest of the town so out of sorts. A giant palace, which from a distance, looked to be made entirely of ice. It seemed to grow right out of the ground like a glacier and it reflected the light like many shards of glass in the growing morning sun. But as he walked towards it, Fishlegs could see that the building as actually made of blue stones, with two guards standing watch at the main entrance. Despite the cluster of dead and decaying trees surround them, the building was truly a sight to behold, and since there was no one in the streets he could talk to, he figured this was his best bet.

"Excuse me…" he called out, but the guards did not answer, either they couldn't hear him, or just being flat our rude, "…..uhmm….excuse me"

"Can I help you?" one of the guards grunted, finally acknowledging his presence.

"I've just got off a boat….." Fishlegs replied

"And that's supposed to mean what to me? Don't waste my time boy!" the guard spat

"I'm sorry….uhmmm….I've just arrived in Skyrim….I'm looking for someone"

The other guard took this time to gain interest in their conversation. Fishlegs swallowed thickly as the guards stepped closer, their hand resting on their weapons.

"And who are you looking for exactly?"

"His…..his name is Hiccup and..."

Before he could even finish his sentence, Fishlegs felt the weapons of both guards pressing against his flesh. Almost out of instinct, his arms flew into the air in surrender; his heart began beating harder and harder.

"Another man came here looking for someone of that name…." the second guard growled, holding the tip of his sword right below Fishlegs throat, "….and he almost destroyed our city. I suggest you leave, right now. Get back on your boat and sail back to where you came from!"

Fishlegs could feel his knees beginning to shake. He had never been so terrified in his entire life, which for him, was quite a statement. His palms had quickly begun to sweat as he felt the cold steel against his skin. One wrong move here and it could be all over.

"Woah woah, wait a minute….I'm not here the threaten anyone….I'm just looking for my friend….please….please….." Fishlegs stammered, his voice cracking and shaking.

"Please what? Don't defend our city, don't stop people who want to oppress and kill us! You had your chance to walk away, but now I guess we have to teach you a lesson!" barked the first guard, dropping the spear and drawing his own sword as he lunged forward.

"NO WAIT, PLEASE!" Fishlegs wailed, slamming his eyes shut as the guard raised his sword above his head.

"WHAT'S ALL THIS NOISE ABOUT?!"

Fishlegs slowly opened his eyes to see another guard, dressed in some sort of captains' uniform, marching towards them. The two guards withdrew their weapons as Fishlegs breathed a massive sigh of relief.

"He claims to be here looking for his friend, the same friend that bastard who was here before was looking for" one of the guards replied, glaring menacingly at Fishlegs. The captain stepped forward, until he was almost nose to nose with Fishlegs.

"I must apologies for my guards' behaviour. They have been a little….jumpy over the past few days. Who might you be?"

"My name…..my name is Fishlegs Ingerman" Fishlegs stammered. He could feel his heart beat slowing slightly. Perhaps the captain could help him.

"A pleasure to meet you Fishlegs. Welcome to the Blue Palace, my name is Frolin, Captain of the Solitude city guards. Now why have you come here?"

"I'm looking for my friend" Fishlegs pulled a scrap of parchment from his bag, upon which was a crudely drawn picture of Hiccup, "Have you any idea where I may be able to find him?"

The captain took the parchment from Fishlegs, glancing quickly at it before handing it to one of the guards.

"This is Hiccup Haddock, brother of Thorin of Ivarstead. He was here just over a week ago"

"Great, is he still here?" Fishlegs asked excitedly

"I'm afraid not, he left shortly after his arrival"

Fishlegs felt his heart sink. How was he supposed to find Hiccup now? Would every place he visited warrant the same reaction he had gotten from the two city guards? Perhaps coming to Skyrim wasn't such a good idea after all.

"Okay, well, thank you" Fishlegs said, rather dejectedly as he turned to leave.

"Wait a minute" the captain called after him, "Perhaps the Jarl can help you, she is close friends with Lord Thorin, maybe he told here where they were going"

Fishlegs turned back, nodding to the captain as he followed him into the palace. Perhaps it wasn't hopeless after all.

* * *

Astrid made sure to keep the tip of her axe close to the young man's back as they walked. She didn't know who he was, or what he had been after, and she was being cautious. Stormfly and Toothless flanked them as they entered the village growling menacingly at the perpetrator. A quiet murmur echoed around them as they passed various Hooligan residents.

"Astrid, what's going on?"

Astrid turned to see Valka and Gobber exiting the forge, accompanied by four companion soldiers.

"I caught this one breaking into my house, made a real mess of the place too" Astrid replied, poking her axe sharply into the young man's back. Gobber eyed the man from head to toe, the same surprised expression across his face as Valka at how young he was, no older than a boy, "I'm taking him to the prison"

"We will accompany you Miss Hofferson, as is our duty" called out one of the Companion soldiers. Astrid nodded as the boy was slapped into a pair of shackles before being dragged way in the direction of the prison.

"He broke into your house?" Valka asked.

"Yes, I don't know what he was after"

"Did he take anything?"

"No, I don't think so, everything was all over the place, A few broken vases and a busted shield, but nothing appeared to be missing."

It was at this point that Snotlout, Heather and the twins appeared, flanked by their dragons, heading away from the great hall, only to stop and turn in their direction upon spotting what was going on.

"Astrid, what happened, what's going on?" Heather called out, bounding down the steps of the Great Hall ahead of Snotlout and the twins.

"My house was robbed. I caught the thief when he tried to run away. The Companions are taking him to the prison cells right now"

"Oh my gods, are you alright?"

"Yes Heather I'm fine" Astrid smiled, touched by her friends concern for her safety, "He broke a few things but nothing that can't be replaced"

"Why would he break into your house?"

"I don't know, but he is our prisoner now. Maybe he knows what Dagur's battle plan is, or can at least give us some information that will help us" Astrid glanced over her shoulder at the Companion soldiers leading the boy away.

"Well I say we go and find out" Snotlout growled, pulling his axe from his belt and marching after the Companions.

"No, I'll take care of this" Astrid interjected, pulling Snotlout back, "I need you all to help protect the island. Double the patrols on the shores, light extra torches, patrol from the sky with your dragons, anything we can do to keep them at bay, one of them made it ashore, and I want to know how and why?"

Snotlout continued to glare at the boy being led away, before finally lowering his axe and marching off towards the academy, followed by the twins, Hookfang, Barf and Belch.

"I'll head back to my camp, make sure extra men are on guard" said Heather, putting her fingers into her lips and letting out a loud whistle. In the distance, the group heard a faint dragon roar, before the creature swooped in over the rooftops, landing gently in the square in front of them, it's purple and blue scales shimmering in the torch lights. The dragon had two Small Horns under its chin, a long striped body with thin, but very sharp claws.

"Oh my gods, that's a Shivertooth!" Astrid gasped. She had read lots about these dragons from the Dragon manual, but had only seen one on a few occasions in the wild, "How did you manage to train one?"

"We were out hunting early one morning a few years back and I freed her from a dragon trap. She hasn't left my side since, I call her Dawnclaw" Heather smiled as the dragon nuzzled up against her.

"It's a shame Fishlegs and Hiccup aren't here, they had loved this" Gobber added, resting his hands on his hips and smirking at the dragon. Heather chuckled lightly as she hopped into the saddle on the back of Dawnclaw, the dragon flexing its muscles and stretching its wings.

"Astrid, be careful, if one of them managed to get ashore, then maybe there are more hiding out somewhere"

"I will" Astrid replied as Heather took to the skies, her and her dragon quickly disappearing over the houses. Astrid, Valka and Gobber then walked out of the village square, following the Companions towards the prison.

It was only a short walk to the prison, which was located on the far side of the village, tucked away in the grooves of the eastern forest. The entire building had been built inside old Whispering Death tunnels, cut into the ground itself like a cave. It was a small, but of sturdy construction, rocks and timber supports held the weight of the ground above them, two large guard towers at its entrance and solid Gronkle Iron gates.

The group passed the guards patrolling the borders, which they did 24 hours a day, changing shifts once every four hours with other guards on the island. Hooligan prisons were not as barbarous as some of the other tribes. It didn't need to be, the crime rate on Berk was almost zero, but whilst the prison itself was seldom used and currently empty, it did serve its purpose well when needed. Toothless and Stormfly gargled as the passed between the two guard towers.

"No guys, you stay out here" said Astrid, holding up her hand. The dragons halted in their tracks, snorting at the prospect of being left outside. But Astrid didn't have time to worry about the dragons being in a mood, she had to get some answers out of the boy.

Astrid, Valka and Gobber followed the Companions through the heavily armoured gates towards the cells. The interior of the prison was well lit with lanterns, revealing several empty cells. The cells were incredibly sturdy, built from the very rocks that had been removed to accommodate them in the first place, fitted with more Gronkle iron bars that Gobber had made himself. It had taken a few attempts to get the mixture right, but he and Fishlegs had managed it in the end, even after the nearly meted Hiccups prosthetic with one particularly bad batch.

The boy winced as he was pushed into the first open cell, the barred metal door slamming behind him and locked tight. The cell was big enough to contain a bed and a table, but otherwise the amenities were sparse. Astrid motioned for the Companions to leave and guard the entrance to the prison with the dragons, pulling up a chair and sitting in front of the bars. The young man backed away, sitting on the bed as far away from the group as he could.

"Now, you are going to tell me everything, who you are, what you're looking for and anything else that we want to know. Do you understand?" Astrid said in a calm, soothing voice. If she spooked the boy even more by yelling at him, they would never get any answers. The young man said nothing; he just sat on the edge of the bed, his face buried in his hands. Astrid could see his shoulders gently heaving up and down. He was scared; of course he was scared, he had every right to be.

"It's okay, you have nothing to fear if you just tell us what we want to know?" said Valka.

After a few moments, the boy lifted his face from his hands, fresh tears staining his cheeks.

"You have to promise me something first"

"You're not exactly in a position to be making demands here laddie!" Gobber spat. The young man shuffled back further onto the bed, his back pressing against the walls of the cell, his eyes full of terror. Valka rested her hand on his Gobbers shoulder, whispering into his ear to calm down.

"Listen, the only way this works is if you give me something. You don't do that? Then there is nothing I can do for you?" asked Astrid.

"Look, I'll cooperate, anything you want to know, but please, you have to promise me that none of what I'm about to tell you makes it back to Drogo. If he finds out I have told you anything, he'll think I've betrayed him. If that happens, I'm dead"

Astrid looked from Valka to Gobber, both of which gave her same understanding nod before turning back to the prisoner.

"Okay, you have my word"

"Thank you" the young man sighed in relief, whipping his face with the sleeve of his shirt.

"Now, first things first, who are you?"

"My name…..my name is Nikolas Gunnarsson"

"And how old are you Nikolas?"

"Sss….sixteen"

"Only sixteen, my my, a bit young to be breaking into people's houses aren't you? You don't have the look of a criminal. Are you a criminal Nikolas?"

"I'm no criminal…I was just following orders"

"Well Nikolas, if you are not a criminal, care to explain why you broke into my house?" Astrid asked, leaning forwards in her chair, resting her hands on her knees.

"I told you, I was just following orders. It's not like I wanted to do it"

"Who's orders?...Drogo's?" said Astrid, arched her eyebrow.

The boy nodded.

"And what did he want you to find?"

Nikolas fidgeted on his bed, brushing his short blonde hair back and glancing at Valka and Gobber, "I only want to tell you, they have to go"

Astrid again turned to face Valka and Gobber, nodding towards the door, "It's okay guys. I can handle this"

"Are you sure that's a good idea Astrid, we don't know anything about this kid, how do we know what he's capable of?" Gobber asked his arms folded in protest at being asked to leave.

"He's just a boy, what harm could he do?"

"Well he did just break into your house and nearly get away" Valka added, "I agree with Gobber, you shouldn't be left alone with him"

"I appreciate your concern, I really do, but I can handle this. We need answers, and if this is how we're going to get them, so be it"

Gobber and Valka exchanged worried looks, before finally turning and walking towards the exit. Astrid waited until they closed the door before turning her attention back to Nikolas.

"Okay, we're alone, now you'll tell me?"

Nikolas slowly got of the bed, cautiously heading to the front of the cage. Astrid rested her hand back on the handle of her axe as the boy approached. Nikolas spotted this and stopped, not wanting to advance any further towards his captor.

"Come on, spit it out, what did Drogo have you looking for?"

Astrid tilted her head, waiting for an answer. Nikolas waited a long time, pulling his hair, considering his options. Finally, he reached inside his robes, pulling out a familiar cylindrical object, the golden patterns shining in the low light.

"THE ELDER SCROLL! GIVE ME THAT RIGHT NOW!" Astrid barked, slamming her axe into the bars with a loud clank. Nikolas nearly dropped the scroll in terror, scrambling back across the cell and huddling in the corner, crying quietly to himself. Astrid could feel the vibrations of the metal bars on her axe; she had hit it fairly hard.

But then, a twang of guilt spread throughout her body. She had done exactly what she said she wouldn't, she had frightened him. Slowly, Astrid lowered the axe, staring at the cowering boy in the cell. In a way, she actually felt sorry for him. It must be awful serving under someone like Drogo, a man so cruel and heartless. She had heard many stories about the Murderous tribe, a name that sadly they had lived up to over the years. To be trapped working for people like that, it must have been torture.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you" Astrid said softly, placing the axe gently onto the floor. This did nothing to ease the tears of the young man, who stared back at Astrid, visibly shaking in fear, "it's….it's been a rough time recently, so I'm a little on edge. I hope you understand"

Nikolas slowly edged his way off the bed, his body still trembling, picking up the Elder Scroll off the floor. Astrid extended her hand through the bars, hoping that the boy would give her the scroll without a fuss. She never truly understood what kind of power the scroll had, but if Drogo and Dagur were after it, then it couldn't be good.

After a few tense moments, Nikolas slowly extended his own arm, the cold metal of the scroll brushed against Astrid skin, wrapping her fingers around it and lifting it from his grasp. Astrid couldn't help but stare at the scroll as it laid in her grasp, the early morning sunshine made the metal sparkle and dance. It really was quite beautiful, if not mysterious.

"Thank you Nikolas, I'm sorry for losing my temper like that"

"It's okay…..I'm sorry for breaking into your home, please let me make it up to you by repairing the damage I caused"

"That won't be necessary, and besides, you're not exactly off the hook just yet. You still have some questions to answer. Why did Drogo want this scroll?"

"He was planning to blackmail Dagur, use the scroll as leverage over him. Everyone knows that Dagur wants power; nothing else seems to matter to him. But Drogo, he wants power as well, and he is using Dagur as his own personal puppet to get it. Once they had conquered the archipelago, that's when Drogo was going to betray Dagur and seize control for himself"

Astrid listened intently. She felt as though she should have been surprised at Drogo's planned betrayal, but she wasn't. Drogo and Dagur were so much alike, both men of greed, hatred and malice, not wonder they got on so well.

"Well, perhaps there is a way we can use this to our advantage" Astrid mumbled to herself, jut loud enough for Nikolas to hear her.

"What do you mean?" he asked, moving slightly closer to the cell bars.

"Dagur assumes that because he paid Drogo, then he is safe, that he can use his armies to crush everything in their path. But, if we can plant a seed in their ranks, then all that so called 'loyalty', between the two comes crashing down. Yes, that could work?"

"Even if you could do that, how are you going to do it when Dagur isn't even here?" Nikolas asked

"Dagur would have left one of his men in command, and of course Drogo is in command of his own men as well. We invite them here, tell them exactly what they want to hear, let them believe they've won and we are surrendering. Then, we break the news to Dagur's men, that they are being played. It could destabilise their entire army and end this war before it starts"

Nikolas rubbed his chin gently as he pondered the plan. Astrid wasn't looking for his approval of course, but as he knew more about their enemy than her, he could prove to be very useful.

"You know….that might work"

"Good, because you have an important role to play" Astrid replied, getting to her feet.

"What?! No, no you can't send me back in there. I won't go; I've been under Drogo's fist for too long. I'm never going back to them. Please, please I want to help you, but not like that"

"I need your help Nikolas, all you have to do is act like everything is normal. Go back into their ranks, follow every move that they are making, and report it back to us, okay?"

"You mean….you want me to be a spy?"

Astrid nodded, tucking the Elder scroll under her arm, "Unless of course, you'd rather stay in the cells?"

"Fine…..I'll do it" Nikolas conceded, slumping back down onto the bed. Astrid smiled as she turned away and headed back towards the entrance to the prison. Perhaps this was the turning point, the chance to finally stop this madness. All this time, they had been one step behind Drogo and Dagur, but at last, they could have an opportunity to prevent the war. Astrid was almost certain that the other members of council would not approve of a plan to use an enemy soldier as a spy, but she didn't care.

It's what Hiccup would do.

* * *

_Almost as soon as the lightning had struck the tree, the world became illuminated. In the distance, he could see thick grey smoke billowing into the air, the once pale blue now shielded by a veil of darkness as the smoke swallows up the whole sky._

_The world around him was burning. The glowing embers leaped and twirled in a fiery dance, twinkling like stars in the hot swirling air before cascading to earth, setting alight the tinder dry forest floor beneath his feet. He could hear screaming, horrible screaming all around him as the flames grew higher and higher._

_The giant black dragon came closer, making sweeping movements as his huge bulk buckled and cracked the ground below its claws, with teeth as sharp as sword that could rip through any armour._

_"__This is a dream! You're not real!"_

_"__ZU'U LOS NID HAHNU. ZU'U LOS SAAD. __AHRK HI FEN AG!"_

_He ran, he ran as fast as his legs would carry him. He didn't care what direction he went, distance was all that mattered. The flames licked his feet as the forest floor sparked and ignited all around him. The thick smoke was choking him, his lungs felt like they were burning from the inside out. Behind him, he could hear the pounding feet of the dragon, growing louder and louder._

"GGGGGGAAAAAHHHHHHH!"

Hiccup almost leapt out of his seat as the hand on his shoulder awoke him, stumbling around like a mad man. His clothes were soaked with sweat, clinging to his body, his hair wet and stuck across his temple and face. He trashed around wildly with one fist, trying to make contact with anything that came near him, and pulled out Nethersbane with the other.

"HICCUP!"

The unmistakeable voice snapped Hiccup back in some sort of reality. He stopped thrashing and looked straight into the eyes of his brother. Thorin held his hands up, moving them downwards in a slow calming motion.

"Calm yourself brother"

Hiccup breathed long heavy breaths, his lungs burned as the cold air swelled in his chest. His hands shook so much that he dropped Nethersbane to the ground with a clatter, his legs buckling underneath him, slumping him back into his chair. Thorin cautiously approached, pulling his chair alongside him and taking a seat at Hiccup's side. The Hooligan chief whipped the sweat from his brow, closing his eyes and taking longer, deeper breaths. His heart was pounding like a hammer on an anvil, the terrifying images still raced through his sub consciousness.

"The nightmares….they still haunt you"

Hiccup could only nod weakly; his mouth was so clammy and dry, even if he'd wanted to speak, he couldn't form the words. Thorin gently rested his hand on Hiccup shoulder, squeezing softly. He could almost feel his brothers' heart racing.

"They will pass, in time"

"They're not nightmares, they're far worse than that" Hiccup swallowed thickly, finally able to speak. His throat was dry and painful, no doubt from breathing the freezing cold air around them all night, "You don't know what they're like Thorin…..they're…..terrifying" Hiccup stammered, almost in tears. His palms were sweaty and the adrenaline coursing through his system was shutting down his ability to think logically. He wanted to run, run away from the still lingering thoughts of the dragon and the fire in his head. But how could he run away from his own mind. How could he even call them nightmares, if they don't stop when he woke up?

"Here, eat this, you'll feel better"

Thorin reached into his bag, pulling a loaf of bread out and handing it to Hiccup, which was gone in a matter of moments. Hiccup hadn't even realised it had been nearly 2 days since he had eaten anything, he was starving, and aside from the fact that the bread was stone cold and staring to mould slightly, he eat every last crumb. Perhaps they could get some fresh bread and some more of that warm mead once they got back to Riverwood.

The snow was lying thickly on the ground as the trio stepped out of the door of the cabin a few minutes later, piling their equipment into their saddles before setting off. They couldn't see the path through the white blanket beneath their feet, using the lines of the trees to guide their way back through the woods. Just over an hour later, they found themselves once again outside the Sleeping Giant Inn. Esbern didn't even grab his gear as he climbed from his horse, pounding his way up the steps and flinging open the door to the Inn. Delphine turned to face him at the sound of the door, a giant smile spreading across Esbern's face as the two blades saw each other.

"Delphine! I...it's good to see you. It's been...a long time"

Delphine smiled as she crossed the room, wrapping her arms around Esbern's neck in a close embrace. Esbern returned the hug with glee. Hiccup and Thorin followed Esbern through the door, welcoming the warm feeling of the roaring fire place against their skin.

"It's good to see you, too, Esbern. It's been too long, old friend. Too long. Well, then. You made it, safe and sound. Good. Come on. I have a place where we can talk"

Delphine broke the hug and took Esbern by the arm, leading him towards the far side of the Inn. Hiccup and Thorin hung back for a few moments before following, the Inn was beginning to bustle with life in the early morning hours, and four people flocking into one room might arouse suspicion.

"Orgnar, hold down the bar for a minute, will you?" Delphine called out to the bar tender.

"Yeah, sure" Organ replied, his gaze following the four as they entered the room and closed the door. Delphine tugged on the lever, revealing the hidden stair case. The four quickly descended into the underground room, Delphine latching the passage closed behind them as they gathered around the map table.

"Now then, I assume you know about..." Delphine motioned towards Hiccup.

"Oh, yes! Dragonborn!" Esbern smiled to Hiccup, "This changes everything, of course. There's no time to lose. We must locate...let me show you. I know I had it here, somewhere... Give me...just a moment..."

Esbern began rummaging around in his bag, tossing various parchments scraps and other strange and random articles onto the table.

"Esbern, what..." Hiccup began, but Esbern waved hand for quite, cutting him off mid-sentence. Hiccup, Thorin and Delphine stood in silence as Esbern continued to scavenge through his bag, finally pulling out an old and tattered looking book and placing into onto the table.

"Ah! Here it is. Come, let me show you"

The group gathered around the map table to look at the book, which looked old and rather heavy. The leather looked soft and delicate as Esbern ran his fingers over the faded blue bindings. He fingered the gold lettering carefully before he opened the cover, the paper rustled as he thumbed through the book to find what he was looking for. Words appeared and disappeared as Hiccup quickly allowed his eyes to flit across the pages. Esbern quickly pointed to a small section from the jumble of sentences.

"You see, right here. Sky Haven Temple, constructed around one of the main Akiviri military camps in the Reach, during their conquest of Skyrim"

Delphine turned to Hiccup and Thorin with a baffled look, "Do either of you know what he's talking about?"

Hiccup and Thorin both chuckled as they shook their head, prompting a small annoyed glare from Esbern.

"Shh! This is where they built Alduin's Wall, to set down in stone all their accumulated dragon lore. A hedge against the forgetfulness of centuries. A wise and foresighted policy, in the event. Despite the far-reaching fame of Alduin's Wall at the time - one of the wonders of the ancient world - its location was lost"

"Esbern, What are you getting at?" Thorin asked, gingerly sitting down into a nearby chair. Hiccup couldn't help but notice his brothers' slow movements, using the back of the chair to support his weight as he sat down. There was something definitely off about him, the usual proud stance was slouched; his skin was paler than usual.

"You mean...you don't mean to say you haven't heard of Alduin's Wall? None of you?" Esbern asked in surprise.

"Let's pretend we haven't. What's Alduin's Wall and what does it have to do with stopping the dragons?" Hiccup replied, moving closer to the table to get a better look at the page. It was covered in small written sections, pictures and crudely drawn maps blotched over the paper.

"Alduin's Wall was where the ancient Blades recorded all they knew of Alduin and his return, part history, part prophecy. Its location has been lost for centuries, but I've found it again. Not lost, you see, just forgotten. The Blades archives held so many secrets...I was only able to save a few scraps..."

"So you think that Alduin's Wall will tell us how to defeat Alduin?" Delphine asked, twisting to book round to face her.

"Well, yes" Esbern responded tentatively, "But...there's no guarantee, of course"

"I knew you'd have something for us, Esbern" Delphine beamed, closing the book gently, sliding it across the Esbern before turning to Hiccup, "I know the area of the Reach that Esbern's talking about. Near Karthspire, the Karth River canyon"

"What's the best way to get there?" Hiccup asked

"From Riverwood? The road south through Falkreath is the most direct route. Or we could catch the carriage from Whiterun to Markarth and then approach from the west. Either way, the Reach is wild country these days. The Forsworn are everywhere. We best be careful"

"The Forsworn? Who are they?"

"They're known as the Madmen of the Reach, a faction of Reachmen formed following the Markarth Incident. They claim that they are the true sons and daughters of the Reach, but most of them are two jugs short of a pint of ale"

"So what you're saying is that they are crazy savages that will probably try and kill us on sight? Fantastic" Hiccup groaned.

"Essentially yes" Delphine replied, "But you are the Dragonborn, I'm sure you can handle a couple of Forsworn"

Hiccup rested his fists on the table, gazing down at the tattered old book. What was he getting himself into this time; another damn treasure hunt was his first thought, wondering around yet more dark and wet underground tombs looking for some forgotten artefact or mysterious power, not something he was keen to do again. But if this place held a clue about how to stop the dragon attacks, and speed up his return to Berk, then he had to follow it up.

"Alright, let's get going; the Greybeards are probably wondering what's taking me so long to get back"

Hiccup picked up the book and walked towards the door. He's need those maps if he got separated from the group. Delphine and Esbern grabbed their weapons and a few supplies and prepared to follow. Hiccup turned to face Thorin, expecting his brother to have also gathered his gear and be behind them. Instead, Thorin sat dead still in his chair, a blank look on his face, staring into the empty space in front of him. His eyes had become sunken and glazed, the usual brightness dulled beyond measure.

"Thorin….are you….are you alright?"

Thorin snapped out of his mini trance, turning his gaze slowly to Hiccup, "I'm….I'm fine…..really…don't worry…..just…..just give me a moment….."

Thorin rose unsteadily to his feet, but suddenly stumbled forward, crashing his head off the edge of the table, sending parchment and other articles sprawling across the floor before collapsing on top of them. Hiccup dropped his gear in shock; a small trickle of blood began to run down Thorin's cheek from a fresh cut to his temple. Hiccup raced across the room, knelling at his brothers' side and lifting his head so it rested against his legs.

"Thorin!…Thorin!...What's wrong?"

Hiccup tapped his brother lightly on the cheek, vainly trying to get some sort of response from him. Thorin was radiating heat like a brick right out of the forge, his body shaking and his skin turning a sickly pale colour. Only a few moments ago, he had been fine, but now the transformation couldn't have been any more different. Delphine dropped her gear and dashed over to the fallen duo, resting the back of her hand against Thorins' forehead, which was now covered in sweat.

"He's burning up, quickly, get him on his feet!"

Hiccup placed his arm under his brothers shaking body, and with a might heavy, pulled him up to a sitting position. Thorins head bobbled around like a twig in a stream, his coughing and wheezing made Hiccup feel nauseous.

"Bring him here!" Esbern beckoned them over to another table in the room, the surface covered in small mortar bowls and various tubs. Hiccup placed Thorins arm over his shoulders, shifting his weight and slowly lifted him up. Delphine grasped Thorins other arm, guiding them across the room to where Esbern had already began to feverishly gather various herbs and plants from a small cabinet. Hiccup gently lowered Thorin down into a chair, his brothers' breath quivered in short, quick gasps every time he inhaled, his lungs having no choice but to painfully and rigidly take in the still chilled air around them. He couldn't seem to stop shaking either.

"Esbern, what's wrong with him?" Hiccup asked, looking right into Thorins eyes, which were now so glazed and bloodshot that there was hardly and white left. Esbern didn't reply, he was too busy mashing a selection of ingredients into a foul smelling green paste.

"Quick, we have to get some layers off him, let the heat escape!" Delphine barked, almost tearing open Thorins chest armour restraints, which was so drenched with sweat it was like peeling off a layer of skin. Hiccup took the armour from Delphine, tossing it aside onto the floor with a splat, before pulling Thorins shoulder over his head. It was then that Hiccup saw the problem. Thorins arm was purple and lumpy where it should be smooth. Against his ghostly skin, the colours looked grotesque. A thin layer of bandage around his bicep was stained with a dark brown splotch.

"The bolt from Bleak Falls Barrow…." Hiccup whispered to himself.

"What, what was that?" Delphine demanded, tossing Thorins shirt aside on top of his already discarded armour.

"His arm, he was hit with a bolt when we went….." Hiccup paused, a sudden flush of anger boiled up inside him. He turned to Delphine, scowling like a scorned child, "…when we went to retrieve your Dragonstone!"

Delphine carefully pulled the bandage away from the wound. It was somewhat ragged around the edges, but barely bleeding. Instead, a putrid looking yellow or greenish fluid drained down, dripping onto the floor. The skin had become red and swollen, and streaks of red stretched out from the wound. A putrid smell filled the room, a smell of rotting flesh. Hiccup choked and gagged on the sight and stench of his brothers' injury.

"His arm has become infected. Being out in that storm has made it worse I fear. Here, apply this to it, all over the wound"

Esbern handed Hiccup a small dish of the paste he had been preparing. Hiccup scooped a healthy portion of the substance on his fingers and pressed it into the raw flesh on Thorins arm. Thorin hissed in pain as the green paste was spread across his skin.

"It's hurting him!" Hiccup protested, quickly removing his hand

"It will sting yes, but it was dull the pain and fight the infection. Keep applying it!" Esbern barked back, pulling out some fresh bandages from the drawer of the alchemy table. Reluctantly, Hiccup reapplied to green paste, prompting another hiss of pain from Thorin. Delphine grabbed the cleanest rag she could find and began to wipe the sweat from Thorins brow and torso.

"Wrap these around his arm, good and tight!" said Esbern, handing Hiccup a bundle of clean bandages. Hiccup took them from the old man's hand and slowly wrapped them round and round his brothers' arm.

"He's in no condition to travel; he'll have to stay here whilst we head to the temple"

"I can't leave him behind" Hiccup protested, tying off the bandage in a strong knot.

"If that infection gets any worse, it could spread. He has to stay and rest. Didn't you say you had friends in Riverwood, maybe they can take care of him whilst we are away?" Delphine replied, gathering up her equipment. Esbern inspected the bandages around Thorin's arm, the ooze mixing with the herb paste had slightly stained the fabric, but it seemed to have stemmed the flow.

"Perhaps, help me get him upstairs"

* * *

Dagur cautiously crossed the bridge into the dreary little town of Morthal. An ominous fog had suddenly appeared from the river, cloaking the entire town in an eerie darkness, the stench of marshlands radiating through the streets. Dagur pulled the hood of his cloak over his head as he wandered through the town, which was considerably short on anything of interest. He could see nothing in the way of a market, no general goods stores; armorers, stables or even farms. The place looked like a ghost town. But one sign did catch his interest, swinging from the thatched roof of one of the larger buildings.

"Moorside Inn"

Dagur walked up the steps towards the doors, the smell of wood smoke from a destroyed house next to the Inn temporarily blocked out the smell of the marshlands. Lowering his hood, he pushed open the doors of the Inn, which was little more than an empty house with a fire pit and a bar. The entire place was almost completely empty, except for two elders huddled on a side table, and a group over on the far side of the room. As Dagur walked past the elders, their whispers were just loud enough for him to pick up.

"Damn that Falion, he's going to upset our quiet and peaceful town, you'll see"

"Ssssshhhh, you want Jonna to hear us, she'll throw us out of the tavern. But I agree, how do we get rid of him"

"The only people that could help are those bounty hunters, but we can't afford a fee like that"

_"__Hmmmm, bounty hunters" _Dagur thought, taking a seat at the bar. A dark skinned women quickly approached, her hair tied back in a bun, her apron covered in various stains.

"Welcome to the Moorside Inn. Glad to finally have more customers, what can I get you?"

"I'm looking to hire some…..bounty hunters, you don't happen to know any do you?" Dagur asked, doing his very best to put on his charming voice.

"Them over there….." the women pointed to the larger group on the table, before turning a wary eye back to Dagur, "….you're not from round here are you? I'd be careful if I were you, some of our locals and a little reclusive, and very cautious of outsiders"

"Oh don't worry about that, I can be quite charming when needs be, thank you very much" Dagur smiled, bowing his head slightly before climbed down from his chair and walked towards the group.

"Wait, aren't you going to buy anything?!" the women called after him. Dagur stopped in his tracks, turning his head slightly and glaring at the bartender, pulling back his cloak to reveal the hilt of his blade. The women quickly looked away, busying herself with tidying the bar.

The group at the larger table were clearly enjoying themselves; a number of empty tankards lay strewn across the table top. They were all laughing and joking to each other, a few had already clearly had too much and had slumped out on the floor. One member of the crowd, a very well built but slightly smaller man, sat at the head of the table, his feet propped up on the table with a young blonde sat across his lap, stubbing his pipe out on the parched soil of the tavern floor. He raised his head to gaze as Dagur pulled out a chair at the far end of the table and sat down. The room suddenly became eerily quiet as the two men stared at each other.

"What do you want?" asked the man, motioning for his blonde friend to fetch him more ale.

"I'm looking to hire some people. People with…..special skills" Dagur replied, leaning back in his chair. The seated man lifted his boots from the table and got to his feet, walking around the table towards Dagur.

"And what skills do you require?" said the mercenary, sitting on the edge of the table in front of Dagur.

"You know…." Dagur said quietly, leaning forward in his seat, "…..Mercenaries"

The group of men and women around the table began to laugh, clinking their goblets together. Dagur was, to say the least, a little bemused by this reaction.

"And what is so funny?"

"Is that all you think we are, a group of blades for hire. Oh no good sir, we are far more than that. This right here, is the finest group of warriors you will ever find in this wretched land"

"Wretched land?" Dagur asked, rubbing his chin in curiosity, "Aren't you all natives here?"

This comment brought another round of laughter from the mercenaries. Dagur was beginning to get rather annoyed now, he didn't appreciate being mocked, especially by those he deemed to be little more than hired thugs.

"No, we are not. I for example, am a Redguard, one of the fiercest, versatile and naturally gifted warriors in all of Tamriel"

"And what is your name?" Dagur asked.

"My true name is none of your concern" the Redguard snarled, "Names complicate things, and I for one prefer to maintain some level of discretion in my affairs. But if you must call me anything, then you may call me Jatho"

"As you wish" Dagur replied. Clearly the bartender had not been exaggerating, "And what about you're esteemed colleagues here, do they share your philosophy"

"One could say that," Jatho smiled, turning to face his crew. Each of them carried all kinds of weapons, swords, bows, clubs maces and other things besides, and seemed to be made up from all walks of life, "Her over there, Wood Elf, she was part of the great siege of Markarth. And him, he used to be an Imperial captain, until the lure of riches wrinkled his nose, and him, former Thalmor guard, and as for those two…."

"Okay I get the picture" Dagur interrupted, but he was impressed none the less. The mercenaries were far more experienced and better equipped than his treacherous soldiers. Soon there would be quite literally no place for Hiccup to hide. Exterminating with extreme prejudice, that was what he liked best, and this way he didn't even have to get his hands dirty to do it. As long as these men and women got paid, they would do what he wanted.

"So, what sort of job did you have in mind?" Jatho asked.

"I'm looking for someone, someone very…special to me" Dagur replied

"An ex-girlfriend perhaps" Jatho chortled, accompanies by yet more laughs from his men. Dagur was really starting to lose patience with these thugs.

"NO! Ahem, of course not. He is an enemy of mine. His name is Hiccup Haddock, but others around here call him….the Dragonborn"

Jatho raised an inquisitive eyebrow as the table fell deathly quiet once more. Each of the mercenaries stared at Dagur like he had a plant growing out of his head or something, a look of utter disbelief.

"The Dragonborn hmmmm, that is interesting" Jatho remarked, taking a large gulp of ale from his tankard, "We have heard rumours that a Dragonborn had been found, that he was the one to rid the lands of the dragons and restore peace, and yet you are here asking us to hunt him down? Tell me, why would we partake in something so…..potentially foolhardy?"

"Think of the legendary status you could achieve" Dagur replied, turning on the charm once again. There was plainly only one way he was going to appeal to these people, by massaging their ego and lining their pockets, "Imagine, Jatho the Mighty, and his crew of course, the men and women who brought down the Dragonborn. The Dragonborn slayers, has a nice ring to it wouldn't you agree. You'd be the most sought after Merce….. I mean, warriors in the world, and people would pay handsomely to acquire your services"

"Hmmmmm…." Jatho hummed quietly to himself, "I am intrigued sir, but I must warn you, our services do not come cheap" Jatho snickered, rubbing his finger together, "Especially for an assignment like this"

Dagur huffed at the cockiness of the Redguard, producing a large pouch of gold coins he had stolen during his occupation of the Blue Palace, "1,000 gold pieces. 500 to start, you get the rest once the job is finished. I think we have reached an understanding on the matter" Dagur smiled coyly, "Consider this the first payment in a long term partnership should we succeed"

"Indeed" replied Jatho, taking the gold from Dagur and sliding it across the table into the hands of his crew, who immediately began to squabble loudly over the content, "And besides, we're sick of this dump anyway. We ride at first light tomorrow, my men like to get their rest before a job. Until that time, let us drink together"

Jatho grabbed two cups off the table, handing one to Dagur and raising the other.

"A toast, to our new partnership" Jatho beamed, clinking his cup against Dagur's before swigging the content in one gulp. Dagur watched as the gang talked amongst themselves about the job at hand, swigging their drinks and laughing. Their words did not matter to him, all that mattered was he had his new army, and this time, as he sat back into his chair, sipping his drink, he was sure he would not fail.

* * *

Hiccup threw a blanked over Thorin to keep him warm as he and Esbern had to practically drag him up the stairs. Delphine had already gone off ahead to speak with Orgnar, their chatter just audible as they reached the top of the hidden staircase.

"This is it Orgnar, the inn is yours. I'm probably never coming back here"

"Well, now. That's something to think about"

"Take care of yourself, Orgnar. Goodbye"

"Yeah…sure, you too Delphine. You be safe"

Thorin's weight was beginning to tire Hiccup out, his brother was far for more well-built than he was. But despite the ache in his arms and back, he hauled him through the Inn to the front door, kicking it open and stepping out into the still early morning frost. The snow lay fresh on the ground, footsteps and paw prints crisscrossed each other around the paths. A few of the locals were already up and about, glancing a few wary looked their way at Hiccup helped Thorin down the steps.

"My friend Gerdur should be able to help us, her house is on the other side of town, near the wood mill" Hiccup grunted, shifting the weight on his back to a more comfortable position. The group trudged through the heavy snow, quickly arriving at the front door of the wood mill. Delphine raped her knuckled three times, and after a few seconds, Gerdur opened the door, her expression changing from happy to shocked in the blink of an eye at the scene she was greeted with.

"Hiccup, what's happened?" Gerdur asked, her gaze darting to the semi coconscious Thorin, "Is he alright?"

"Gerdur, I need your help. Thorin is sick, really sick, he needs somewhere to stay and heal"

"Yes, yes of course, bring him inside out the cold"

Hiccup and Esbern carried Thorin through the front door, followed by Delphine who closed the door behind them. Gerdur's house was small but comfortable. A fire crackled gently in the middle of the front room, chairs pulled inward to the warmth. Through the windows, the view overlooked the river and the meadows of horses and cattle on the other side. The smell of fresh cinnamon buns wafts throughout the house, forcing a small smile to spread across Hiccups as the scent and the fire warmed his body.

"Bring him in here" Gerdur directed them to a smaller room on the left side of the house. Hiccup and Esbern carried Thorin into the room, gently laying him down onto the bed. Thorin faced twitched slightly as he lay back against the soft blankets, sweat still pouring off his brow. Gerdur immediately grabbed a cloth and began dabbing his forehead, saturating the rag in seconds.

"What happened to him?"

"A wound on his arm has become infected, we've done what we can to fight the infection, but he needs rest and proper care. We are travelling, and in this state, he is in no condition to follow us" Delphine replied, standing at the end of the bed.

"Can you look after him for a while Gerdur? We should be back soon" Hiccup asked

"Of course Hiccup, after you saved Ralof in Helgen, it's the least I can do to repay you" Gerdur smiled, swapping the sweat drenched cloth for a clean one, "Hand me that bag will you?"

Hiccup looked across the room in the direction she was pointing. A small brown leather bag lay on the middle shelf of a book case. Hiccup quickly grabbed the bag and handed it to Gerdur, who rummaged inside, pulling out a pestle and a few ingredients.

"Now, let's see…a pearl, yes I'll need that…..charred Skeever hide, yes….and last…..it's here somewhere…..ah, here it is, Blue Mountain flower"

"What are you doing?" Hiccup asked

"It's just a basic recipe, but it should help fight the infection" Gerdur replied, grinding the ingredients together in the pestle into a semi thick blue liquid

"A restore health potion, remarkable. Where did you learn to make potions like that?" Esbern asked, marvelling and the skills Gerdur was showing.

"I met a travelling mage at the Inn a few years back, he taught me some basic recipes, the rest I learned from books" Gerdur replied, lifting Thorins head up slightly and pouring the blue liquid into his lips. Thorin gulped down the liquid, coughing gently as he did, but almost immediately, his shivering began to reduce, the colour of his skin slowly returning.

"Thank you Gerdur" Hiccup smiled, resting his hand gently on his friends shoulder, "I will repay the favour one day"

"You need not worry Hiccup, Thorin will be fine, he just needs rest. By tomorrow he may be strong enough to travel again"

Hiccup turned to Esbern and Delphine, the two blades casting him the same look.

"We can't wait that long. We will go to Sky Haven temple, learn what we can and come back here. I have to get back to High Hrothgar as we are done here"

The next few minutes where a quick flurry of activity. Gerdur handed Hiccup a bag of food and a fresh flask of water as they trio headed out of the door. After one final thanks and a few pleasantries, Hiccup, Delphine and Esbern were riding out of the village gates once more. The mid-morning sunshine reflected strongly off the thick snow blanket, casting the trees and everything around them in a bright light. Hiccup squinted as they powered along the road, glancing back towards the shrinking view of Riverwood until it disappeared over the horizon.

The hours seemed to fly past as they rode, the snow beginning to thin and melt under to bright midday sun, until finally; the trio saw the temple, perched high in the hills to the west. Hiccup pulled his horse to a halt, gazing up at the building in the distance. The temple hugged the hillside, like it had been built into the very earth itself. It almost looked abandoned, huge ivy shrubs lined the exterior walls and tattered flags flew from the guard tower.

But that was not what alarmed Hiccup the most. A thick plume of smoke slowly rose up from the valley in front of the temple, an eerie orange glow clearly visible despite the brightness of the afternoon sun. An over powering armour of burning wood floated in the calm air.

The group passed over the crest of the final hill, peering down into the valley. The forest that surrounded the temple entrance, once so alive, the trees that sheltered so many with their spreading canopy of green and provided so much, were now nothing more lifeless sticks of charcoal. The unfettered light illuminated the scorched ground and still that smell of burning lingered. In-between the burning shrubs, Hiccup could just about see some huddles figures, skulking around within the devastation.

"Survivors?" Delphine queried, shielding her eyes from the searing heat and soot.

"Look at their armour and banners, they are Foresworn, Witchmen of High Rock" Esbern replied, dismounting from his horse.

"Who are the Foresworn?" Hiccup asked as he too climbed down from his mount.

"A clan of barbarians. They've been fighting against the Nords for longer than anyone can remember" Esbern scowled, spitting to the ground in disgust, "Bloody savages, worshiping their Daedric Princes and the other ancient Et'Ada, their so called Old Gods, looks like they deserved what they got"

Hiccup glared at Esbern. Despite the smoke, they could all see charred corpses scattered amongst the wreckage, their skin blackened to ash. No one deserved to die in such agony.

"Only a monster could do such evil" Delphine sighed.

And then, they heard it. The noise was like a hurricane, rolling down from the hills, the ground visibly shaking beneath Hiccup's feet. The shrill roar was so loud; he thought his ears might start to bleed.

"IS THAT….!" Esbern cried

"DRAGON!" Delphine shouted, quickly drawing her sword. The dragon blasted through the thick smoke, scaled in delicate green shields; claw-like projections lay down his spine and from the edges of his wings. They fanned like aggressive blooms from his feet and elbows. It was by no means the biggest Dragon Hiccup had ever seen, certainly since he'd arrived in Skyrim, but if his previous encounters were anything to go by, he could not take this threat lightly.

Again and again, the dragon swopped down, projecting a rain of fire onto the fleeing foresworn warriors, their screams of pain and terror echoing in the air. Almost every tree and shrub was now engulfed in flames, the thick black smoke poured into the sky.

Hiccup watched in horror at the scene unfolding in front of him. It was just like his dream, the howls of agony from the foresworn sent cold shivers down his spine. He could feel the intensity of the flames against his skin; the still raw burn wound from their last dragon encounter tingled against the searing heat.

"WHAT DO WE DO HICCUP, WE HAVE TO GET TO THE TEMPLE!" Esbern cried over the sounds of the destruction raging below them.

"YOU TOO GET TO THE ENTRANCE AND GET INSIDE; I WILL DRAW THE DRAGON AWAY!" Hiccup shouted back, drawing Nethersbane and running to the edge of the cliff, standing directly below the giant stone dragon skull.

"YOU CAN'T FIGHT IT ON YOUR OWN, WE CAN HELP!" Delphine cried, drawing her own weapon.

"I SAID GO!"

Esbern didn't need telling twice. The old Blade scampered away down a set of winding steps, nearly tripping over the uneven and wobbly cobbles. Delphine glared at Hiccup for a moment, before sheathing her sword and following her companion towards the temple. Hiccup turned back to the dragon, which was now hovering in mid-air over the firestorm raging below him. With a deep breath, Hiccup built up the power of his shout, the energy coursing through his body.

**_"_****_FUS ROH DAH!"_**

The energy of the shout thundered through the air, clearing a path through the smoke and slamming into the dragons' hind legs. The beast roared indignantly, flapping its wings to keep itself in their air. Hiccup watched as the creature turned sharply in their air, cannoning its way towards him, roaring loudly as it sped through the plumes of smoke. Hiccup turned and sprinted away from the edge as fast as he could, hopping over the broken rocks and rubble scattered around. The dragon zoomed overhead, banking sharply and hovering ominously above.

Hiccup scrambled to avoid the fresh torrent of flames raining down from the sky, leaping in-between two large rocks to shield himself from the searing heat. His feet slipped outwards on the damp muddy ground as he round the corner, the scorching air from the fire shocking his throat and lungs as he inhaled deeper, faster. With each stride, his prosthetic slammed into the rocks, sending a jarring pain through his stump.

The dragon suddenly swopped down, crashing to the ground no more than 10 feet in front of him. Hiccup skidded to a halt, gripping the handle of Nethersbane tightly. The dragon slowly walked towards him, his breath came in small spurts, hot and smoky. Hiccup held his ground, pointing the tip of his sword straight at the beasts spout.

**_"_****_Ahst laat zu'u luft hi Dovahkiin. Dii Thur fen zin zu'u fah al hi!" _**

The dragon lunged forward, row after row of razor sharp teeth, like daggers, glinted against the light of the flames all around them. Hiccup leapt to the side, rolling over back onto his feet as the creature snapped at him. Again and again, the dragon leered towards him, its powerful jaws biting at him.

His muscles were staring to burn with the constant evasion. Hiccup knew he couldn't just avoid the dragon; he would be cut to ribbons. He had to fight back. The dragon lunged forward once more, but this time, Hiccup didn't dodge. With as much strength as he could muster, he swung Nethersbane, the blade slicing through the air and connecting with the snout of the dragon. The creature roared in pain, blood pouring from the cut.

This was his chance. Hiccup dashed forward, pushing himself off the ground and leaping onto the dragons back. The creature lashed around, desperately attempting to throw Hiccup to the ground, but gripping onto one of the beasts' horns, Hiccup brought Nethersbane down hard, slicing into the dragons face and neck. A blood curdling roars echoed across the valley as Hiccup rained down blow after blow. His clothes were soaked with blood and sweat as he slammed his blade into the dragon's hard flesh.

The dragon started to stumble, clearly weakened from the amount of blood lost. Hiccup twirled Nethersbane in his hands, lifted the blade high up, and plunged it down, piercing behind the dragons' skull. The beast howled, its eyes wide with horror, the mouth rigid and open and his claws clenched, digging deeply into the dirt. Hiccup pushed down on Nethersbane, his arms coated in blood. The dragon fell limp, his entire body slumping forward and crashing to the ground. Hiccup lost his footing as the beast fell, his hand slipped from its grip on the horn as he toppled to the ground in a cloud of ash, sort and dust, slamming his leg painfully onto the rocks.

"Gahhh! By the gods that hurt!"

Hiccup sat up, rubbing his sore leg to ease the pain. How many more injuries could he possibly sustain before he went home? His stump throbbed from the impact of the rock, he was almost certain he would have a nasty bruise to show for it, but then again, after fighting a dragon and only sustaining a bruise, he could forgive himself for being thankful it wasn't worse.

A small stream of blood flowed slowly beside him. Turning his head, he saw the dragon, lying dead on the ground, its eyes still wide and its wings flaying uselessly in the wind. Hiccup hauled himself to his feet and hobbled over to the fallen reptile. Reaching out, he placed his hand against the scales, which has turned cold as ice. For a few moments, Hiccup just stood, staring straight into the dragons' lifeless eyes.

A strange feeling was overcoming him. For years and years, he had promised himself he would never kill a dragon. He had spent half of his adult life convincing others that Dragons were not evil, and didn't need to be killed. His belief had sparked an incredible turn of events across the Archipelago, where dragons were welcomed as equals. But here, standing before the corpse of the creature he has just slain, his heart didn't feel heavy with sorrow, it felt light, like a weight for being pulled from his chest. These dragons were not anything like the ones back home. They were pure evil; the epitome of darkness, wickedness, hatred and death. They had no regard for his life, or anyone else's for that matter. No one in their right mind would try to tame them. Hiccup was beginning to understand, there was only one way to stop these creatures, and that was to kill them, and it was becoming clear that he was the only one who could do it.

Slowly, the dragons' body began to flake apart, small licks of lame shooting into the air. Hiccup watched as the familiar threads enveloped around him, swirling and shining brightly. The power of the Dragon surged into him, filling his body with pure energy and power. But as soon as they had appeared, the threads disappeared, leaving the giant skeleton as the only reminder of the once proud creature.

Hiccup stared at the now bare bones of the dragon, ash and soot smeared across his sweaty face. Brushing the sweat his matted hair, he sheathed Nethersbane and slowly walked away towards the temple. He quickly reached the bottom of the stairs, were Delphine and Esbern were waiting for him. The last few flames of the dragon attack had begun to fade away, leaving an increasing litter of charged bodies in its wake.

"Truly the power of the dragon is yours! There can be no doubt that you are the Dragonborn of prophecy" said Esbern, his voice shaking in shock and disbelief.

"Let's get this over with" Hiccup replied without reserve, marching passed his companions towards the temple entrance. The doorway had been almost destroyed by the dragon attack, leaving a pile of smouldering wood and stone in front of them. Hiccup carefully clambered over the wreckage, his leg still throbbing slightly as he stepped inside the temple ruins.

The interior of the cave they found themselves in was dark and decrepit, with only a few bare furnishings to show for years of neglect. A thick blanked of dust rested on almost everything in sight.

"I think I found something, looks promising" Delphine called out, her voice echoing off the high ceilings. Hiccup glanced over to where she was standing. An archway, covered in cravings and symbols, with two stone dragons lining the border. But this one didn't look like it lead to the temple, but to a deep gorge, a draw bridge held up securely by a bunch of thick rusted chains blocking their path. Esbern had already dashed over by the time Hiccup had joined them, quickly brushing the dust away from the stone walls.

"Yes. Definitely early Akiviri stonework here"

"We've got to get this bridge down. These pillars must have something to do with it"

"Yes. These are Akiviri symbols. Let's see...you have the symbol for "King"...and "Warrior"...and of course the symbol for "Dragonborn", that's the one that appears to have a sort of arrow shape pointing downward at the bottom"

"Let me have look" Hiccup interrupted, pushing his way between Delphine and Esbern. He ran his hand over the stone pillars, his mind casting back to his journey into Bleak Falls Barrow with Thorin. Maybe these pillars worked in the same way to the ones they had found there. Hiccup turned the three pillars, revealing the Dragonborn symbol, which he couldn't help but think, looked a little bit like a heart. A few seconds passed, until the chains shuddered and jangled as the bridge slowly started to lower.

"Well, whatever you did, it worked. Let's see what those old Blades left in our way" Delphine smiled, slapping Hiccup gently on the arm. The bridge clunked on the far side of the gorge, cobwebs floating in the darkness ahead. Hiccup pulled one of the torches from its holder on the wall, slowly walking across the bridge. The rotten boards under his boots creaked and groaned as they crossed, but never the less, they made it across without incident.

The three walked deeper into the cave, the familiar dank smell saturated the air. Hiccup held the torch out in front of him, casting a dim light down the tunnel. A few rats scampered across the ground as they walked their squeaks and cries echoed quietly of the wet stone walls.

"Another tomb then…..great" Hiccup muttered to himself as they pressed on. A few minutes later, the tunnel mercifully widened into another room, huge cobwebs hanging from the ceiling. There were no windows or roof opening, so the entire cavern was almost completely dark, save for a few torches on the walls. The roof was jagged and rough, a few small stalactites hung from the ceiling like needles. Hiccup looked to the floor in front of him; strange looking tiles spread across the entire surface. Hiccup crouched down to examine the tiles. They had 5 small holes carved into them, one in each corner and another in the centre. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see a large pillar on the far side of the room, a single chain handle dangling from the centre.

"Wait a minute" Hiccup called behind to Esbern and Delphine, who came to a stop and peered over his shoulders at the tiles.

"What are they?" Esbern asked, putting the slightest bit of weight on one the tiles with the toe of his boot. A small cracking sound reverberated around the room, the tile dropping down into the ground. Esbern quickly removed his toe, and just in time. Five jest of fire exploded from the tiles, very nearly scorching Hiccup in the face as he fell backwards. Delphine leapt away from the flames as they licked into the air, lighting up the room with a dazzling light. As quickly as they had appeared, the flames suddenly stopped, the tile sliding back into position.

"By the Gods! Hiccup are you alright!?" Esbern yelped, grabbing Hiccup by the arm and pulling the young Viking further away from the tiled floor.

"Yes I'm fine" Hiccup scrambled to his feet, smoothing out his clothes, "Perhaps it would be better if we didn't stand on the tiles though"

Esbern nodded sheepishly, shuffling his feet in slight embarrassment.

"There must be a way to cross?" Hiccup asked to Delphine.

"I bet anything that chain over there will deactivate the flames. Only question is how we get to it?"

"I think I have an idea. Stand back" Hiccup replied. Esbern and Delphine stepped back a few paces as Hiccup drew a deep breath. Time to put another one of his new found skills into practise. He closed his eyes, exhaling slowly before taking one short, sharp breath, building the power of his shout.

**_"_****_FEIM ZII GRON"_**

A brief, blinding blue light filled the room, scattering the rodents and small spiders that has been hiding in the shadows. Hiccup felt the power of his Thu'um course through his body, his every nerve tingling. The light faded away, plunging the room once again into almost total darkness. Gradually, Hiccup opened his eyes. He felt an overwhelmingly light sensation, like his entire body was suddenly weightless. He glanced down at his hands, which had turned almost translucent, so much so that he could actually see the floor tiles through his limbs.

Delicately, Hiccup lifted his foot over the first tile, bringing it down slowly until his boot met the slate, which remained in positioned. He applied more weight, but the tile was still unmoved. Hiccup turned to Esbern and Delphine, chuckling at the same look of dumbfounded amazement on their faces. Shifting his entire weight onto the tiles, Hiccup walked briskly across the floor, a faint blue trail wafting behind him. He quickly reached the other side of the room and stepped off the tiles, and not a moment too soon, as his Thu'um wore off and his body returned to normal.

"Incredible" muttered Esbern.

Hiccup pulled on the chain dangling from the stone column, causing a loud sliding noise to roll around the room. For a few seconds, none of them moved, a little unsure if it had worked. Delphine edged towards the tiled floor, resting her foot on the first tile. The group collectively held their breath as Delphine pressed her foot down against the tile, which slid down. But this time, no flames came out, resulting in a collective sigh of relief.

"Looks safe now. Let's move" said Delphine, adjusting her equipment bag on her shoulder as she stepped further onto the tiles.

"Yes, yes! I think we must be close to the entrance" Esbern replied excitedly. The pair quickly joined Hiccup on the far side of the room, following him down yet another passageway, twisting and turning deeper into the mountain. They walked in almost total silence for another mile, until they emerged from the passage way into yet another chamber. Hiccup jaw dropped at the sight that lay before his eyes.

The chamber was huge, stretching at least 100 feet into the air. The walls and ceiling were smooth as glass, emeralds and gemstone buried in the rock twinkled like stars against the light from Hiccup's torch. A large stone face, carved from the rocks, stood before them, and at its base, sat a circular platform.

"What is this place?" Hiccup asked, holding the torch down close to the platform, revealing a small seal in the centre.

"Wonderful! Remarkably well-preserved too. Look here! You see how the ancient Blades revered Reman Cyrodiil. This whole place appears to be a shrine to Reman. He ended the Akiviri invasion under mysterious circumstances, you recall. After the so-called "battle" of Pale Pass, the Akiviri went into his service. This was the foundation stone of the Second Empire"

"Esbern focus, we need to find a way in. What about this thing?" Delphine asked, motioning to the seal on the ground.

"Yes of course, I'm sorry" Esbern stepped away from the stone face, crouching next to Hiccup, quickly examining the platform, "It's a blood seal. Another of the lost Akiviri arts. No doubt triggered by...well…blood"

"Blood?" Hiccup blurted out, almost dropping the torch.

"Your blood, Dragonborn"

"Whoa wait a minute, are you expecting me to just cut myself open?!"

"Esbern's probably right" Delphine interjected, "Only the blood of a Dragonborn can open the door to the temple. Try using your blood on the carved seal"

"This is crazy, how is my blood going to get us in?!"

"I don't see any other options here. It either we try it, or go back" Delphine replied, crossing her arms, tapping her foot impatiently. Hiccup scowled at his companion, pulling one of his daggers from his belt and placing the blade into his palm. He shut his eyes tight, and with one smooth swipe, pulled the blade across his skin. Hiccup hissed painfully as he felt his skin split, and the blood begin to flow into his fingers.

He slowly opened his hand; a few small droplets of blood fell into the seal. The whole room began to shake, small rocks crumbled from the roof, falling down into the darkness around them. The trio watched as the stone face shuddered and ground against the wall as it slid open, revealing a hidden doorway behind it.

"That's done it! Look, it's coming to life! You did it! There's the entrance. After you, Dragonborn. You should have the honour of being the first to set foot in Sky Haven Temple"

Hiccup got to his feet, rummaged in his bag for a bandage that he could wrap around his hand.

"There's no telling what we'll find inside, so be on your guard" Delphine warned, drawing her sword. Hiccup quickly bandaged his hand, whipping the blood from his fingers on his trousers as he stepped through the door. A winding staircase lay before them, the walls lined with statues and carvings, but unlike the previous caves, they were not covered by an inch thick layer of dust, or century's build-up of cobwebs.

"Fascinating! Original Akiviri bas-reliefs...almost entirely intact! Amazing...you can see how the Akiviri craftsmen were beginning to embrace the more flowing Nordic style..." Esbern was almost hopping with excitement, like a child on Snoggletog morning.

"We're here for Alduin's Wall, right, Esbern? Not a history lesson" Delphine said stingingly, rolling her eyes in frustration at Esbern's ever shortening attention span.

"Yes, of course. We'll have more time to look around later, I suppose" Esbern replied dejected.

"Let's see what's up ahead" said Hiccup, drawing Nethersbane as he began to ascend the stairs. There footsteps echoed in the darkness as they climbed, only broken by Esbern's occasional mutterings to himself about the history of what they were, hopefully, about to see.

As they reached the top of the stairs, they found themselves standing in another room, a large table stood in the centre and carved stone friezes hanging from every wall. An opening in the ceiling finally allowed some natural light to penetrate the darkness, and up ahead, a giant curved stone wall, covered in hundreds of images and symbols, dragons, men, monsters Hiccup had never seen before.

"Is that…." Hiccup began, but Esbern had already sprinted over to the wall, his eyes wide in wonder as he ran his hands across the cold stones.

"Shor's bones! Here it is!...Alduin's Wall"


	25. Chapter 25 - A Plot Unfolds

"So well preserved" Esbern marvelled at the giant stone carvings in front of them, running his fingers across the intricate designs, "I've never seen a finer example of early second era Akiviri sculptural relief"

"By the gods, will you stop distracting yourself Esbern? We need information" Delphine barked.

"She's right Esbern, we need to be quick. Let's have a look around and see what we can find" Hiccup added, holding his torch up towards the wall, the light bouncing off the jagged edges of the sculpted stone. It was a truly awe-inspiring sight, the wall stretched across the entire length of the room, hundreds of strange carving etched across the surface, depictions of dragons raining down fire onto groups of men below.

"Yes, yes. Let's see what we have... Look, here is Alduin!"

The trio simultaneously gazed at the section of the wall Esbern was standing in front of, right smack in the centre. Hiccup stated at the carving, the unmistakeable image of the dragon glaring down at them, and below, standing as clear as day, was a figure dressed in exactly the same armour that Hiccup himself was wearing, the axe hanging from his belt and a jagged sword in his hands.

"This is surreal" Hiccup whispered to himself, stepping back and away from the wall. His stomach was in knots, so much that he felt like he could barf any second. As the back of his legs collided with a large stone on the ground, Hiccup sat down, breathing heavily to try and ease the sickly feeling inside.

"These carvings must be hundred, no, thousands of years old" said Delphine, who was already scribbling down notes onto a scrap of parchment.

"Older still I feel. This panel goes back to the beginning of time, when Alduin and the Dragon Cult ruled over Skyrim" Esbern replied, resting his hand on a what looked like a carving of a battle, "See here, the humans rebel against their dragon overlords, the legendary Dragon War. Alduin's defeat is the centrepiece of the Wall. You see, here he is falling from the sky. The Nord Tongues, masters of the Voice, are arrayed against him"

This was not a fantasy anymore, and as much as he would try and deny it, Hiccup couldn't ignore what was written, right there in front of him in the stone. Everything he could see around him suddenly seemed so real, so material and so substantial. The Last Dragonborn? His fate had been written in history all this time. Someone, or something, had chosen him for this task, the task of riding the world of the greatest evil it had ever faced.

"So, does it show how they defeated him? Isn't that why we're here?" aid Delphine

"Patience, my dear" Esbern replied, scribbling furiously into his notebook, "The Akiviri were not a straightforward people. Everything is couched in allegory and mythic symbolism. Yes, yes. This here, coming from the mouths of Nord heroes - this is the Akiviri symbol for "Shout." But...there's no way to know what Shout is meant."

Hiccup raised his gaze back to the wall, "You mean they used a Shout to defeat Alduin? You're sure?"

"Hmm? Oh, yes. Presumably something rather specific to dragons, or even Alduin himself. Remember, this is where they recorded all they knew of Alduin and his return"

"So we're looking for a Shout, then? Damn it" Delphine huffed, turning to face Hiccup, "Have you ever heard of such a thing? A Shout that can knock a dragon out of the sky?"

"It's not something they Greybeards taught me, I'd need to speak with Master Arngeir, they might know about something that could help us" Hiccup replied.

"You're probably right. I was hoping to avoid having to involve them in all this, but it seems we have no choice"

"Hoping to avoid having to involve them? What's that supposed to mean?" Hiccup asked sternly.

"If they had their way, you'd do nothing but sit up on their mountain with them and talk to the sky, or whatever it is they do" Delphine replied, looking back to the wall, "The Greybeards are so afraid of power they won't use it. Think about it. Have they tried to stop the civil war, or done anything about Alduin? No. And they're afraid of you, of your power. Trust me, there's no need to be afraid. Think of Tiber Septim. Do you think he'd have founded the Empire if he'd listened to the Greybeards?"

"I'm not afraid of Alduin, or my powers or anything else for that matter. But they Greybeards may have a point, too much power is dangerous" Hiccup replied, getting to his feet and walking to stand beside Delphine.

His thoughts drifted back to Dagur. If there was one man he knew that proved that power corrupts, it was Dagur. For years it had been all the man cared about, to rule with an Iron fist, even at the cost of his own people. He would never admit if openly, but deep down, Hiccup as afraid, afraid that his powers could grow too strong, corrupt him, and turn him into a monster.

"Only if you don't know how to use it. All the great heroes have had to learn to use their power. Those that shrank from their destiny...well, you've never heard of them, have you? And there are the villains - those that misused their power. There's always a choice, and there's always a risk. But if you live in fear of what might go wrong, you'll end up doing nothing. Like the Greybeards up on their mountain."

"I told you, I'm not afraid of my own power"

"Good. The Greybeards can teach you a lot, but don't let them turn you away from your destiny. You're Dragonborn, and you're the only one who can stop Alduin. Don't forget it. You should get back to High Hrothgar, it's a good thing they've already let you into their little cult"

"Wait, you're not coming?" Hiccup asked

"To sit a listen to them sit around all day and talk about conversing with the skies? No thank you, besides, it isn't likely they'd help Esbern or me if we came calling. We'll look around the temple and see what else the old Blades might have left for us. It's a better hideout than we could have hoped for"

"Well, I guess this is goodbye then"

Hiccup held out his hand, which Delphine eagerly shook. Despite the disagreements at times, Hiccup had come to respect her. It had taken great effort, but she had shown that she was brave, honest, and loyal to a fault. When all hope had seemed lost, she hadn't given up on her companions, had fought to save her friends and protect what she loved. Hiccup could emphasise with that.

"Talos guard you Dragonborn"

"Thank you Delphine, perhaps one day we will meet again"

Delphine smiled as she stepped back. Hiccup glanced to Esbern, who had stopped writing to observe the interaction. A simple nod was all that was needed between the pair, and Hiccup soon found himself walking back towards the exit of the inner chambers, the echoing sound of Esbern's voice off the walls growing fainter in the distance.

_"__Look, here. In the third panel. The prophecy that brought the Akiviri to Tamriel in the first place, in search of the Dragonborn. Here are the Akiviri, the Blades; you see their distinctive long swords. Now they kneel, their ancient mission fulfilled, as the Last Dragonborn contends with Alduin at the end of time. Are you paying attention, Delphine? You might learn something of your own history"_

* * *

Fishlegs followed Frolin through the front gardens of the palace. Every flower that he could see, planted in huge spiralling flower beds, was dead. The grass had turned an awful yellow brown colour and pieces of broken timber littered the ground like autumn leaves. Several tree stumps stuck out of the ground, their tips shredded and broken, their once tall trunks rotting beside them. A large group of servants and guards busied themselves sweeping up broken glass and scrubbing feverishly at a cluster of dark stains on the stone walkways.

"Is that….blood?" Fishlegs asked nervously. Frolin didn't reply, he simply nodded grimly as the pair continued through the grounds towards the palace doors, "By the gods, what happened in here?"

"We were attacked" Frolin replied, picking up a toppled plant pot, placing it back upright as they walked past, "A man came here and took over the whole city for a time, killed hundreds of men, enslaved the women and threw children from the city walls."

Fishlegs could feel himself becoming physically sick. The thought of it, throwing children from the walls, murdering so many people in cold blood, his stomach lurched violently.

"What kind of monster would do such a thing?...Unless….it was…..oh no….."

The sudden realisation hit Fishlegs like a war hammer. Only one man he knew would be so cruel, so callous and cold hearted to do a thing like this.

"Dagur"

Frolin stopped in his tracks and turned to quickly face Fishlegs, his calm demeanour had swiftly given way to one of complete and utter seriousness.

"You know him?"

"I'm afraid so"

"Care to tell me why you know him?"

"Dagur the Deranged is a monster. He's terrorised my homeland for as long as I can remember, ever since I was a child. All he's ever wanted to do was kill people, especially my friend Hiccup, and if he is here, then Hiccup is in danger. I have to find him"

"Well, this 'Dagur' fellow is certainly versed in killing" Frolin replied as they arrived at they arrived at a set of large wooden doors, "A piece of advice if I may, I wouldn't mention the fact that you know that bastard to the Jarl when you speak with her. She may not take too kindly to meeting someone who is on first name terms with the man that conquered her city and murdered her people"

Fishlegs nodded as Frolin whispered something into the ear of the guard standing on duty, who quickly stepped aside. Frolin pushed open the doors and stepped inside. Fishlegs followed close behind, tiptoeing his way between yet more shattered glass and broken pottery. None of the torches on the wall were lit, making the entire room feel cold and dark, and yet more blood stains lay on the ground. Fishlegs followed Frolin up the staircase to the upper levels of the palace, approaching a large golden throne.

"My Jarl, I bring a visitor" Frolin called out as they approached. The women on the throne raised her head slightly, exposing a variety of cuts and bruises across her skin. Her hair was frizzy and unmade, her clothes tattered. Fishlegs had met many tribal leaders on his travels with Hiccup, but never had he met one who looked so down beat.

"I'm not really in the mood for visitors today Frolin, please take our guest outside and leave me be"

"Jarl Elisif, forgive my defiance, but you may wish to reconsider"

"I can….come back later…." Fishlegs muttered, taking a few small steps away from the throne.

"No, no please, forgive me. It has been a….rough week for all of us." Elisif replied, her voice croaking, "Welcome to the Blue Palace, I am Elisif, Jarl of Solitude"

"Thank you Jarl Elisif" Fishlegs replied, stepping forward towards the throne once more and bowing his head, "My Name if Fishlegs Ingerman. I need your help. I'm looking for my friend; I think he may have landed here around 10 days ago…."

"Many people come to my city, so it is quite possible your friend was here" Elisif interrupted, "But based on what has happened here, it is likely he is dead"

"I don't think that is the case my Jarl, he is a friend of Master Hiccup and Lord Thorin, they are who he is looking for"

Elisif glared towards Fishlegs, the sad expression on her face instantly melting away to one of quite rage. Fishlegs swallowed thickly as the Jarl rose from her chair, making a beeline in his direction. He could tell almost immediately that she has been crying, her eyes were puffy and bloodshot, her cheeks clearly stained with dry tears.

"A murdering heathen came here looking for them as well! He destroyed my palace, killed my people and ransacked my city! And now you stand before me making exactly the same request! If you value your life, you will make your words quick and truthful, or I will have you thrown into the dungeons!"

Just the sight of the seething Jarl stepping towards him was enough to make Fishlegs breathing rapid and shallow. He could feel his pulse pounding in his temples.

"Wait, wait, please! I'm not like the other man that was here, I am Hiccup's friend. We grew up together; we've been friends for years. His life is in danger, and I have to find him, please, you have to help me!"

"And you Frolin, you brought him into the palace!" Elisif yelled, pointing her finger like a dagger straight at Frolin. She stopped her march towards Fishlegs, eyeing up the quivering Viking like child shaking in a cold breeze. Her fists were clenched so hard together; her knuckles had turned almost white as snow, "How can we trust him, what proof does he have of that what he says is true?"

Fishlegs had to think quickly, he really didn't like the idea of being thrown into some cold, dark dungeon.

"Oh this…..I have this…"

Delving into his bag, Fishlegs pulled out a small hand carved wooden pendant, attached to a thin leather strap. The carving showed himself and Meatlug, with a crudely scratched marking that read 'Dragon Trainer'.

"All of my friends and I have these, we're dragon trainers back home, all of us"

Elisif snatched the pendant from Fishlegs still shaking hands, turning it slowly in her fingers, the look of rage still spread across her face.

"And what exactly is a 'Dragon Trainer'?!" Elisif snapped.

Fishlegs swallowed thickly, his hands beginning to tremble even harder than before. What had he just said? What was he thinking, showing them his Trainer pendant? Thorin had warned them all that Dragons were hated in this part of the world, did he really want to announce to one of their leaders that he worked with them as equals, probably not.

"We….uhm….we train people….on how…..to…fight dragons….yeah, we teach people how to fight dragons"

Elisif still looked unconvinced, her eyes narrowed as she continued to examine the pendant. Fishlegs could only stand there and wait, praying to the gods that she would believe him. After a few nervous moments, Elisif handed the pendant back to Fishlegs, motioning for the guards to stand down. Fishlegs exhaled in relief, stuffing the pendant back into his bag.

"I'm sorry about all that, but you must understand. The events of the last few weeks have made me….wary of strangers" Elisif spoke softly now, her rage and anger subsiding.

"It's….it's okay my lady, I understand" Fishlegs replied, feeling a little more relaxed for the first time since he had walked into the palace.

"You're friends' were here, but it was over 10 days ago"

"Do you know where they might have gone?" Fishlegs asked, pulling out his notebook ready to write down anything the Jarl told him.

"We provided them with passage to the village of Ivarstead, just south of the Throat of the World….but…"

Fishlegs stopped writing and gazed up at the Jarl, the sadness almost immediately returning to her face.

"My lady…..?" Fishlegs asked gently.

"…..their supply carriage was found on the main road, abandoned and destroyed, burnt to ash. There was no sign of them, no supplies, no horses, nothing"

Fishlegs felt a lump develop at the back of his throat; the shock travelled in his veins but never made it to his face. His complexion remained pale and matt, his eyes as steady as if he were shopping for shoes. It couldn't be true.

"You…..mean….they're….." Fishlegs babbled. He couldn't even form the words to say what he was thinking. Sweat was beginning to form on his brow

"Dead? No, no they are not"

The tension that had built up in Fishlegs muscles melted into nothing. Hiccup was alive.

"Oh Thank Thor…..how do you know?"

"We received word from Jarl Balgruuf in the city of Whiterun. Master Hiccup has been named Thane of the city after he killed a dragon near their western watchtower"

Fishlegs jaw almost hit the ground; he stared at the Jarl as if she'd just produced a rhinoceros from her pocket. It was as if the impact of that last remark had knocked every wisp of air from his lungs as he struggling to inhale, to exhale, to do anything.

"…..He…..he killed…a dragon?"

"You seem surprised, I thought that was what you did, remember? Taught people how to fight back against the tyranny of dragons"

"Well, uh, yes, yes of course we do, it's just that…."

"You're making it very hard for me to believe you! I asked you to be truthful with me, and I expect you to tell me the truth. Now I am going to ask you one last time, what is your business with Hiccup and Lord Thorin?!" Elisif said intently, tramping forwards once again towards Fishlegs.

"I told you already, I'm Hiccups friend, all I want is to find him" Fishlegs replied

"And what will you do when you find him? Try and kill him like so many others before you?!"

"What?! No?" Fishlegs exclaimed, "I'm here to take him home, our island is on the brink of war, we need him back to lead his own people"

"He is here for a reason, it is his destiny, to save this land from the scourge of the dragons, as the prophecy of the Dragonborn has foretold"

There was that word again, Dragonborn, Fishlegs remembered Thorin talking about it in the Great hall the night before he and Hiccup had left. He wasn't exactly sure what it meant, Thorin hadn't given them much detail, but he did remember the legend, that the Dragonborn could absorb a Dragons power. Fishlegs had thought it would have been a great gift to gain the knowledge of a Dragon, but now, knowing that it meant having to kill the beast first, made the queasy feeling in his belly even worse.

"My lady, his duty is to his people. I'm sorry, but when I find him, I must take him back"

Elisif just stared at him, a steely look in her pale blue eyes. He wasn't going to back down, not this time, he had a job to do, and by the gods, he was going to do it, no matter what, or who, was in his way. He didn't really care about the prophecy; it was Hiccup's life that concerned him. Elisif sighed, slowly returning to her throne.

"You seem to care a great deal about him, I can appreciate that" Elisif smiled weakly, "It is likely that he travelled to High Hrothgar, high on the Throat of the World"

"Thank you Jarl Elisif, how do I get there" Fishlegs asked, pulling his pad and a fresh piece of charcoal from his bag, ready to write down his route.

"Take a barge south to Dragons Bridge, from there you can secure passage to Riverwood in the East, the people there can guide you the rest of the way"

"Thank you my Jarl, I really do appreciate your help" Fishlegs bowed quickly, cramming his pad back into his bag before turning to leave.

"One last thing Master Ingerman…" Elisif called out, brining Fishlegs to a halt, "…be careful"

* * *

It was almost noon when the other chieftains and their commanders had gathered in the Great Hall, each of them eager to begin the peace talks. Astrid sat in her usual chair, a small goblet of wine on the table in front of her, a golden coloured Moselle; made from fruits that trader Johan had brought back on one his many visits to Berk. It was very soft and rich, one of her favourites, so much so, that he had used the seed to plant her own vines in her garden.

Her eyes drifted to the ever vacant seat next to her, the chief's seat. The chair was carved of a fine oak, crested decorative metals and smooth stones, forming an elegant coat of arms at the top in the shape of a Night Fury. She slowly reached across, resting her hand gently on the armrest. She missed Hiccup more than anything; her heart broke a little more each day they were apart. She missed his kindness and good natured soul, his muscular arm that she dreamt were wrapped around her.

"Astrid, he will be back soon, you'll see"

Astrid snapped out of her daydream just as Valka finished speaking, resting her hand on Astrid from the seat the other side of Hiccup chair.

"But when? He's been gone for nearly 2 weeks now" Astrid sighed, slouching down in her chair, "He said he would have been back by now, and now Fishlegs is gone as well. How do we know something hasn't happened to them?"

"Hiccup is strong and brave; he can take care of himself, especially if he has Thorin with him. And Fishlegs, I've never seen such a bright young mind as his. He may not be the greatest fighter in the world, but he is smart. They'll both be okay"

Astrid forced a weak smile as her attention drifted around the Hall. She wished she could share in Valka's optimism, but it was impossible. The ever present knot in the pit of her stomach had not gone away since Hiccup had left. All she wanted was to have him back, to be able to wake up next to him and this all be a horrible dream,

The allied chiefs were busying themselves giving orders to their men, mostly about protecting the Hall. A few Hooligan women milled in and out of the kitchens, carrying flasks of Mead and Wine to the tables. Her gaze fell on the dragons, gurgling amongst themselves in the farthest corner of the room. Her heart felt heavy as she watched Toothless and Meatlug, sulking away from the other dragons, no doubt missing their riders just as much as she did.

"Astrid!"

Her daydream was interrupted again by one of the village messengers, scampering across the Hall.

"They're here"

"Good, send them in"

The messenger nodded before running back towards the doors. Astrid straightened herself in her chair, taking a deep breath in a vain attempt to calm her nerves. The doors of the Hall swung open, revealing Drogo and the Berserker lieutenant, flanked by their soldiers. They sauntered into the Hall with a swagger that made Astrid cringe.

"Well, who would have thought of this?" Drogo boasted, his soldiers laughing behind him, "The great Hooligan tribe, inviting us into their hall, to drink their mead and wine and surrender, oh how the mighty have fallen"

Astrid bit her tongue to stop herself from spitting her own snarky comeback, they had to stick to the plan, make them believe they'd won, and to do that, she needed to keep her cool.

"We didn't call you here to surrender Drogo, we called you in the hope that we can make peace and avoid this war" Valka responded calmly, slowing rising from her chair.

"Surrender, make peace, it's all the same to us" The Berserker lieutenant replied.

"Welcome Chief Drogo and representatives of the Berserker tribe. Please, sit" Astrid said in her calmest and most welcoming voice.

"I will, in fact….I'll sit there thank you very much"

Drogo marched around the table, plonking himself directly into Hiccups chair, lifting his legs and resting his muddy boots on the table. Astrid clenched her fists, her teeth grinding against each other in silent rage.

"HAVE YOU NO HONOUR!" Gobber yelled, rising from his own chair and glaring at the Murderous chief, "YOU WOULD SOIL OUR HALL AND DISRESPECT THE SEAT OF OUR CHIEF!"

"You're Chief isn't here, I don't see why the best chair in the room should go to waste" Drogo sneered.

"Gobber, calm down" Astrid pleaded, trying to supress her own anger, "It's just a chair"

Gobber narrowed his eyes at Drogo as he slowly sat down. Astrid watched as all the other chiefs took their seats around the table, the only sounds in the room being the scraping of chairs on the floor and the clinking of goblets and tankards as they were filled. Taking a deep breath, she rose from her seat.

"Thank you all for coming. We are here today to discuss peace negotiations between the island of Berk, its people and allies, and the island of Berserker, its people and its allies. I hope we can all agree on reasonable terms that will prevent this war, and save thousands of lives. I propose a working trade between…."

"Oh stop you twaddle will you!" barked the Berserker Lieutenant, "I didn't come here to listen to your weak and feeble attempts to save your own skin. There is only one thing that will stop this war, the complete and total surrender of Berk"

"That is never going to happen, do you understand?!" Valka snapped back, almost knocking her chair over as she stood. Everyone around the table started shouting, bickering with one another. Some of the soldiers drew their weapons, squaring up to another. Astrid looked between them; the only one not reacting was Drogo, who sat callously in the chair beside her, casually swigging his mead, laughing at the chaos around them.

"ENOUGH! STORMFLY!"

The Nadder, alerted by her masters' call, bolted across the room, leapt into the air and slammed down onto the table, roaring flames into the air, sending the goblets and tankards scattering across the floor. The room instantly fell silent, the dragon flames whipped out into nothing in the air.

"I WILL NOT LET THIS BREAK OUT INTO VIOLENCE!" Astrid yelled, "THIS IS OUR HALL, AND YOU WILL ALL TREAT IT WITH THE RESPECT THAT IT DESERVES! IF YOU DON'T, THEN THIS NADDER WILL MAKE SURE THAT THIS ROOM IS THE LAST THING ANY OF YOU EVER SEE!"

The Berserker and Murderous soldiers looked up at the dragon, some of them angrily, but most of them look terrified. As strong as they thought they were, they knew that they'd be no match for a dragon. Slowly, everyone returned to their seats.

"I will not allow these peace talks to turn into chaos. I invited you here all in good faith, that we could behave rationally and find a way to prevent this stupid war"

"And we already told you, the only terms we will accept is your complete and total surrender. Lord Dagur has made it very clear wants he wants" the Lieutenant sneered.

"We're not here to surrender to the likes of you. Berk will never surrender" Gobber spat back.

"You honestly think you can win the war. Our forces outnumber you 2 to 1. Face it, this war is already over, the sooner you accept that, the less of your people need die"

"Shut your mouth right now!" Valka yelled, her finger nails scrapping across the table.

"Yeah, Berk will never surrender!" shouted the twins in unison. Drogo chuckled to himself, pouring himself another goblet of mead, lifting his gaze to Eret, Heather, Ivarr and Mogadon.

"And you three, you're really going to risk your armies for this place? Why not side with us, we will win a great victory, and you can be by our side when we do"

"We'd rather die that join you Drogo!" Eret snapped, his soldiers cheering behind him.

"You're an evil twisted man Drogo; someone has to put a stop to you and your tribe. You've not won this war yet!" Heather added, causing her own soldiers to whoop and holler behind her. Mogadon and Ivarr rose from their chairs, staring down the Murderous chief, making it quite clear where their allegiance lied.

"It's a pity, you've got some good fighter in your armies, it will be a shame to see them all slaughtered"

Astrid watched helplessly as the Chiefs argued. She couldn't take it anymore, listening to them talk about death and war; it was time, time to execute the plan. She looked quickly to Valka, who's gaze met hers, and a simple nod was enough for her to go for it.

"Enough Drogo, you and you're….." Astrid paused as she looked at the Berserker Lieutenant, "….and you, I don't even know your name!"

"Malik, son of Mazar" the Berserker replied

"Well….Malik, clearly these discussions are going nowhere, so why don't we talk about something else, why don't we talk about the spy that Drogo sent into our village last night, the spy who tried to steal the Elder Scroll, who was going to give it to Drogo so he could use it to betray you, let's talk about that shall we!"

The room fell instantly quiet. Malik slumped back into his seat, whilst Drogo actually got up from his, walking around the table and standing with his men by the main entrance of the Hall.

"Very clever Astrid, very clever indeed trying to turn us against each other. What did you think would happen, that we would instantly start fighting, throwing our armies in disarray whilst you all scamper away. That might have worked in past wars, but the thing is….."

Drogo clapped his hands together, two of his men hauling open the doors to the Hall. The late afternoon sun blinding her temporarily, Astrid could just about see the outline of someone standing in the doorway, flanked by two Berserker guards. She could hear the sound of chains clanking on the floor. The captive was ushered into the room, the doors closing behind him, only then did Astrid see who it was, and the gasp from Valka confirmed her fears.

"Nikolas?"

"yes, poor little Nikolas" Drogo sneered, walking menacingly around his prisoner, "Couldn't even do one job properly, steal the scroll and bring it back to us. But what does he do? Agrees to be your little spy, to betray me and betray us. When he returned without the scroll I knew something was going on, and after a small….interrogation…"

Drogo quickly spun round, slamming his fist into Nikolas stomach. The cracking noise was almost deafening, defiantly caused some broken bones. The boy almost keeled over, holding his stomach as he coughed, small spats of blood dripping onto the floor.

"STOP IT, STOP IT RIGHT NOW! HE'S JUST A BOY!" Astrid screamed, leaping from her chair so fast it went spiralling across the floor.

"A BOY WHO HAS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR HIS ACTIONS!" Drogo roared, slamming his fist into Nikolas rib cage once more. The boys cries of pain made Astrid's bones shake, even more that the loud protests from everyone behind her.

"STOP, LET HIM GO!"

"And if I don't…" Drogo hissed, slowly drawing his blade and pointing it straight at Nikolas throat.

"LET HIM GO!" came the combined voices of almost the entire room. The scream tore through Astrid like a great shard of glass. She felt her eyes widen and pulse quicken as the blade hovered perilously close to Nikolas exposed flesh. Her heart was thudding like a rock rattling in box. The scream came again, desperate, terrified.

"Release him…and we can discuss surrender…." Astrid said calmly, just loud enough the Drogo could hear her over the commotion going on behind her. The Murderous chief smiled, lowering his weapon and stepping aside. Astrid watched as Drogo pushed Nikolas forward; with so much force it nearly knocked him to the ground. She could now see the young boys face, his eyes were swollen over and bloody spit drooled from his jaws. He was standing like a scarecrow, all lop-sided and hunched over, his exposed arms covered in bruises.

Gingerly, Nikolas began to walk towards Astrid, his boots and chains scraping on the floor as he limped. Astrid reached out her hand to him, when suddenly; a horrific slicing noise shattered the quiet in the room. Nikolas bolted upright, his eyes wide in horror, his breath becoming instantly short and sharp, a horrible gurgling noise emitting from his throat.

The blade protruded from the centre of his chest, the steel coated in a thick layer of blood. The room filled with collective gasps and screams as Drogo pushed the sword further into Nikolas back, dark crimson spurting from the wound, covering the floor in front of them.

Astrid charge forward as Drogo withdrew the blade. Nikolas collapsed to the floor, Astrid catching his body before he slammed into the ground. His head flopped backwards, his eyes fixed and vacant, locked onto Astrid's, both of them bathed in his blood his head lay in her lap. Astrid placed her hand over his still chest, the blood seeped from the gaping hole through her fingers, flowing like a river onto the floor. She picked up his other hand, which had instantly turned cold and pale.

He was dead.

"YOU BASTARDS!"

"YOU KILLED HIM!"

The anguished cries from behind her made Astrid's blood run cold. She couldn't bring herself to look away from the cold dead eyes of the boy in front of her. It ha happened again, just like Alvin, another life wasted, and for what, an insane struggle for power. Astrid slowly closed Nikolas eyes, lowering his head to the ground, his mouth hanging open. He hands were covered in his blood; her fingers trembled as she got back to her feet, her gaze falling on Drogo, the dripping blade still in his hand.

"How could you….you….killed one of your own" Her voice was surprisingly calm from the shock of what she had just witnessed.

"You told me to set him free" Drogo replied, whipping his blade on his already blood covered breaches, "And I did, I set him free from this world. This boy planned to betray me, and won't let anyone get away with that. So, he had to die"

"YOU DESPICABLE SON OF A WHORE!" Snotlout bellowed, drawing his axe and pointing it straight at Drogo, "YOU'RE GOING TO DIE FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE!"

The shouting continued to fill the room, combined with the sound of weapons being drawn. Astrid just stared back at Nikolas body, shutting out the commotion around her. He looked so peaceful, almost as if he were asleep, like all the pain he was in had finally washed away. She didn't know how long she had been staring at the body, but the sound of shouting soon returned, but not the sound she was expecting.

"FIRE!"

The messenger stood in the doorway, panting and out of breath, his clothes stained with sweat.

"What!?" Astrid asked, walking quickly across the room to meet him.

"THE ARMOURY, IT'S ON FIRE!"

* * *

He didn't even bother to take in the breath-taking sunset scenery around him. The orange glow reflected of the blankets of thinning snow all around him, the light streaming through the trees, the sun trying to prise the last of its amber limbs over the rooftops. His eyes were steady to the horizon, his face aglow with the last orange rays before twilight would beckon the stars into the sky.

Hiccup rode through the gates into Riverwood, the images from Alduin's wall still resonating through his thoughts. He had secretly always hoped that all the prophecies and ancient lore he had heard since he had arrived in Skyrim could have been talking about someone else. Maybe the gods had got it all wrong, and he was not the fabled Dragonborn. But the truth was, it was him, and like it or not, he was going to have to see this thing through. If he quit now, the whole world would be in danger, not just Skyrim, but Berk, the entire archipelago, all his friends, his Mother, Astrid and Toothless.

He sat back in the saddle, trying to quell the tears in his eyes and the lump in his throat. The thoughts of Berk made him long for the home he had left behind leaving. After everything that had already happened, Hiccup was beginning to fear it would be a home he wasn't going back to. He could have died several times since he had left, from the Dragon attacks, nearly being executed by the Imperial soldiers, and Dagurs' relentless pursuit. Reaching into his pocket, Hiccup again began to fondle to small red box, the ring still cased safely inside.

"Soon Astrid, soon I will come home, nothing is going to change that, not dragons, not this stupid civil war, and defiantly not Dagur. I will see you again, I swear to the gods I will".

His quite whispers to himself were interrupted as the familiar site of Gerders house came into view as he trotted up the main road through the village. The last few locals still working at this hour were closing up their shops and heading for home, each of them giving him a respectful wave as he rode past. A group of Whiterun soldiers stood watch on the city streets, at least giving Hiccup comfort that Balgruuf and Irileth had kept their word to protect the village.

Gently, Hiccup pulled up on the reigns and came to a halt outside the front door of the house. A few candles flickered in the windows, the unmistakeable smell of fresh bread wafted through the chilled air. Hiccup hopped down from his saddle, his prosthetic crunching against the snow. He couldn't help but notice the irony that the village looked so peaceful, so at ease, despite the growing threat of everything that was happening around them. Any other time, it would have been a nice place to visit, but now, it was just another place that he had to protect.

After tying up his horse next to a fresh bale of hay in the yard, Hiccup knocked on the front door, which was quickly answered by the young boy Hiccup had met when he first came to Riverwood.

"Hey, I remember you, you saved Uncle Ralof, I heard you killed the dragon in Whiterun, you're the Dragonborn!" the young boy exclaimed excitedly.

"It's good to see you again Frodnar"

"You remembered my name, that is so cool!", Hiccup chuckled softly at the boys' enthusiasm.

"Frodnar, leave him be" came Gerders voice from the kitchen, followed soon after by Gerder herself, emerging carrying a large steaming loaf of bread in her hands, "Please, come in Hiccup"

"Thank you" Hiccup replied, stepping into the house and closing the door behind him, "How is he doing?"

"He is still a little weak, but faring far better than this morning. The herb medicines seem to be working against the infection. I would say he will be ready to ride by morning"

"Thank you so much for looking after him; I don't know how I can repay your kindness"

"It was my pleasure, I owed you after you saved my brother from that dragon, I am happy to help in any way I can" Gerder smiled, cutting into the soft loaf, the smell wafting through the air was almost intoxicating, "We would love it if you would stay for supper"

"I appreciate the offer, but I can't stay, I have to get back to High Hrothgar, there are some things I need to….discuss with the Greybeards…..Is he awake?" hiccup asked, motioning towards the closed bedroom door.

"No, he is sleeping right now; it is still not wise for him to travel, his body is still recovering from the infection, but he is welcome to stay here as long as he needs to"

Hiccup nodded, his gaze turning to the bedroom. Slowly, he walked across the room, and with a faint creak, pushed the door open. The room as warm and cosy, a gently scent of lavender from the flowers by the window floated in the air. A small fire crackled under the stone flag fireplace, the window cracked just so to allow some cooler air in. An empty bowl and plate lay on the bedside table, crumbs sprinkled across both them and the floor, and lying in the bed, his chest slowly rising up and down under to white wool covers as he slept, was Thorin.

Hiccup looked down at his brother. His skin had returned to its natural colour, a cluster of fresh bandages wrapped across his arm. His hair was still wet and stuck to his forehead, but Hiccup knew this was normal when the body was fighting infection. He had more than enough experience with infection when he lost his own foot after the battle with the Red Death all those years ago.

"Thorin…..Thorin…." Hiccup whispered, "It's me…..it's Hiccup…."

Thorin stirred slightly, but his eyes remained closed, wrapped in profound sleep. Hiccup yearned to wake his brother, to tell him all about the things they had found in the temple, the prophecy, his plans to learn the mysterious shout from the Greybeards, everything. Hiccup gently placed his hand on Thorins forehead. The warmth still radiated from Thorin, but it had certainly come down significantly since that morning.

"….Sleep well…..I'll be back for you…..I promise….."

Hiccup slowly back away from the bed, taking a last glancing look at Thorin as he closed the door softly behind him. Gerdur ushered Frodnar from the room, much to the young boys chagrin, leaving the two of them alone in the front room.

"Hiccup…..I have to ask….." Gerdur said nervously, taking a seat at the table. Hiccup cautiously walked over, pulled out the other chair and sat down opposite her.

"What is it Gerdur?"

The young woman reached across the table, laying her hand lightly across his. Instead of flinching and pulling away, Hiccup placed his own hand across hers. Her eyes showed that she was worried, they were downcast, staring straight at the table between them.

"Is it true….are you really the Dragonborn? We heard stories from Whiterun, from the guards who came to protect us that you killed a dragon, absorbed its power. If all that is true, and with the dragons returning, I fear for the safety of my family. Can you promise me that whatever sort of ancient war you are caught up in, that my family will be safe?"

Hiccup squeezed her hand gently, Gerdur raising her gaze to meet his.

"…..Yes, it is true, I am the Dragonborn, and yes, I did kill that dragon. I had no choice; it would have burned the city to the ground, then come here and done the same. I will do everything that I can to protect Skyrim, you and your family, but…..I can't promise anything…." Hiccup was doing his best to speak with a soft voice, not to panic Gerdur further, but he could feel his words trembling in his throat, "….I've seen the devastation these dragons can cause, and I'm just one man, I can't be everywhere at once…."

Gerdur slowly closed her eyes, lowering her face once more, tears trickling down her cheeks. Hiccup was at a loss for what to say next. He didn't want to lie to her, tell he everything was going to be alright, only for a dragon to appear out of nowhere and attack.

"Listen to me Gerdur, maybe there is something I can do to help you"

"….There…._'sniff'_…..is….."

"There is somewhere you will be safe, you and your family, high in the mountains….High Hrothgar"

"But, the mill, our business, and we aren't permitted to travel…."

"I know, I know…" Hiccup interjected, "…but it is the safest place from the dragons. Your lives are far more valuable than your business, which can be rebuilt. The Greybeards have taught me a lot over the last few days, and they are still more powerful than I am. No dragon would attack the temple. Once I arrive there, I will speak with them, they won't turn down a direct request from me. Once Thorin is ready to travel, he can guide you up the 7,000 steps"

Gerdur almost immediately leapt from her chair, sprinting round the table and flinging her arms around Hiccups neck. Hiccup was rather shocked by it, holding his arms away, not sure exactly what he should do.

"Uhh…okay Gerdur, you can…..hmm…let go now"

"Thank you, thank you so much Hiccup" Gerdur sobbed, tightening her grip slightly around Hiccups shoulders. The young Viking slowly brought one hand down, tapping her back gently. Gerdur finally broke the hug; her tears had slightly stained the fabric of Hiccups tunic, "But what about Ralof, he's off in Solitude, fighting with Ulfric and the Stormcloak's, what if he comes back here and we're gone?"

"I'll send a Raven to Solitude when I get to High Hrothgar, Ralof can join you there if he wants to"

"I can't thank you enough Hiccup, your kindness to us is truly touching" Gerdur smiled, "Let me pack you some supplies for your journey, we should be able to be at High Hrothgar by noon tomorrow", Gerdur hastily began gathering fruit and bread from her pantry, and a large flask of water, placing them into a fresh leather satchel and handing them to Hiccup.

"Thank you, just one last thing, don't tell anyone else where you are going, it isn't just the dragons you need to worry about"

"What do you mean?" Gerdur asked, her voice slightly higher with concern

"There are dangerous men out there; they've been coming after me for a long time. Don't leave Thorins side; he will keep you safe on the journey"

Gerdur slowly nodded, the concerned look on her face did nothing to help Hiccups own worry. Slinging the satchel of food over his shoulder, he turned and walked towards the front door of the house.

"Hiccup!" Gerdur called after him, just as he had placed his hand on the door handle. Hiccup turned back to face her, the small smile returning to her lips, "Good luck"

Hiccup smiled in return, and after a quick farewell nod, stepped out of the house.

* * *

The doors burst open as Astrid sprinted outside, skidding to a halt on the steps outside the Great Hall. The armoury was located just outside the village, on the cliff tops near the harbour. She could already see the smoke and the flames flickering above the rooftops, and hear the faint cries of terror from other Hooligans fleeing.

"You…." Astrid glared at Drogo, the same smug smile across his face, it made her feel physically sick, "….YOU DID THIS! YOU SON OF A BI…."

"Now, there is no need for that kind of language my dear, after all, we are all civilised here, and besides, we have an agreement, four days left by the way" Drogo smirked, leaning against one of the main pillar outside the hall. Astrid felt the burning rage hiss through her body like deathly poison, every word stung only fuelling the fire that burned inside of her.

"ONE OF THESE DAY DROGO, ONE OF THESE DAYS THIS WILL ALL CATCH UP WITH YOU, AND I WILL BE LOOKING DOWN ON YOU AND SMILING!" Astrid shriek, her face beet red.

"Of course you will, but that may be difficult when you have no weapons" Drogo laughed, looking off into the distance at the smouldering armoury. Astrid wanted nothing more than to run up and punch that smug look straight off his face, to drive her axe into his body and watch the blood flow. She never knew she had such a capacity for hatred, to feel such loathing to another human being, but Drogo, he was at a whole new level.

But at that moment, she accepted that it would have to wait. Astrid spat violently onto the ground in front of Drogo, before turning and leaping onto the back of Stormfly, blasting into the air in the direction of the smoke. They sped over the rooftops; the panicked cries of other Hooligans fleeing the flames rang out below her. She could already see the flames, roaring as the engulfed the armoury, dancing and spitting from the crumbling structure. The air smelt of burning, the thick smoke was choking, no wonder the villagers were fleeing Astrid's eyes moved from face to face in the gathering crowd, their horrified expressions and ash covered clothing was like a scene from a battle.

A few of her Dragon Rider trainees had already arrived, using their dragons' powerful wings to try and fan the flames, but to no avail. Companion soldiers were ushering people away from the flames, using their Astrid glanced quickly over her shoulder. Heather and Eret where in hot pursuit, followed by Valka and her friends, all of the guiding their dragons towards the black smoke billowing toward the sky.

"STOP, YOU'RE MAKING THE FLAMES BIGGER, WE NEED TO GET WATER NOW!" Astrid cried, hauling Stormfly in the direction of the harbour. They rode as fast as the winds and her dragons wings would carry them, swooping down towards the sparkling blue water below. Luckily for them, the fisherman had already finished their morning trip, leaving their barrels empty on the docks.

The pair hurtled downwards, Stormfly snatching an empty barrel in her powerful claws, skimming the surface of the water. The spray stung against Astrid's skin, but she didn't slow down, filling her barrel quickly before tugging on the reigns and guiding her dragon back up towards the flames. The other riders caught onto her idea, each of them now carrying a barrel back up towards the village.

The flames continued to grow, reaching maybe 30 feet into the sky. The radiant heat was intense, scorching Astrid's skin, the smoke twisting in a fiery inferno. Ash and soot circled around her, her usually brilliant blonde hair quickly turned black. The coughing was instant as were the tears that washed over her eyes.

"NOW STORMFLY!"

The dragon cawed loudly as they flew over the flames, dumping the content of the barrel. The water hissed and steamed as it collided with the fire, extinguishing only part of the flames. Astrid and Stormfly swopped round again, gliding above the other riders as they deposited more and more water onto the armoury. The flames slowly began to subside, shrinking back down as Astrid landed, sliding from her saddle and patting Stormfly gently on the neck, receiving a grateful grumble in return.

The last few barrels of water were dumped onto the smouldering wreck, and the flames gently fizzled out. The walls of the armoury had long since crumbled, and in their place stood thick beams of wood, blackened and charred from where the flames had licked at them. The ruins were still smoking; Astrid could see the faintest glow of embers as she walked around the creaking threshold. Black dust hung in the air, nothing had escaped the fire, glass littered the floor where the windows had broken and the metal of their weapons and armour lay blackened and twisted on the ground. Astrid crouched down and touched the chars on the floor, still warm to the touch, her skin becoming charcoal grey.

"Our weapons, our armour, all of it, gone" Astrid scowled, flinging a burnt piece of timber deeper into the wreckage. Heather, Valka and Eret landed their dragons just behind her, each with the look of dismay across their face.

"This can't be happening, how are we supposed to defend ourselves with no weapons?" Valka asked in shock, her boots crunching over the burnt grass.

"I don't know" Astrid replied, getting back to her feet, whipping the mixture of sweat and soot from her brow. Eret stepped up beside her, placing his hand gently on her shoulder.

"I will send a Terrible Terror message back to the Lava Lout's, emptying our armouries and bringing any weapons we can"

"I can't ask you do that Eret, you need those weapons to defend your own people if the Berserkers attack"

"Astrid listen to me…" Eret said firmly, stepping in front of Astrid, placing his other hand on her shoulder, "…I still owe you and Hiccup a great debt. You helped me turn my life around. If I hadn't met you, I would still be worthless Dragon hunter, yet here I am, leader of my own tribe, a man of quality. I owe my allegiance to you, to all of you, and I will do all I can to one day repay that debt"

Astrid smiled at Eret, squeezing his forearm softly. She was truly grateful to have allies like him, brave, loyal and fearless.

"I'll do the same Astrid" said Heather, walking up to her friends' side.

"And I" echoed Ivarr, motioning one of his soldiers off to get the messages ready. Mogadon on the other hand didn't even bother to say it out loud; he simply waved one of his soldiers away to prepare a similar message.

"Thank you, thank you all" Astrid said, a small smile crept on her lips. She turning her gaze to the darkening skies and thick grey clouds rolling in from the north, "A storm is coming, salvage what we can, we'll store in the great hall. I want extra patrols around the entire Island"

The Companion soldiers marched across the charged ground and broken timber, and began digging through the wreckage of the armoury, pulling out the few swords and axes that hadn't been destroyed by the flames. How could she have let this happen, all the time their enemies had been one step ahead of them, and every time she though they were getting an advantage, it was snatched away.

She looked back up the hill towards the Great Hall, but Drogo and his men had vanished, no doubt back to their ships. Astrid could feel the despair building up inside her, the lump in her throat was almost choking her. Hiccup would never have let this happen. She needed to get away from it, all of it, just for a while. Astrid walked towards Stormfly, her dragon cooing happily as her rider climbed into the saddle.

"Astrid, where are you going?" Heather called out, walking briskly trying to catch up to her.

"I need to clear my head, can you handle everything here? I won't be long"

Heather slowed to a stop, nodding slightly. Astrid gripped the reigns of her saddle, and with a swift kick, the pair launched into the air. There was only one place she could go to be alone, a place only her and Hiccup knew about, a hidden cave, under the vines that grew on the western cliffs above the beach. She had lost count of the number of times her and Hiccup had snuck away from their parents at night, sitting in the cave and watching the sunrise.

Warm thermals pushed the pair gently upward in a seemingly never ending spiral. How could she ever land, why would she ever want to land? It was peace itself in the skies, seeing the view usually gifted only to the birds and the dragons. She glided on, above the white cliffs, over the heather and on toward the cave entrance. As the wind tousled her hair and whipped it about her face, she longed to extend time, to savour the moments, flying was the only time when she ever felt truly free.

The cliffs came into view; the Lava Lout garrison lay below. Luckily for her, most of the patrols on the beach seemed pre occupied with training drills, so she was able to glide towards the cliff without being spotted. Astrid looked for the familiar spot in the vines, a small gap that hid the entrance. Quickly she spotted it, guiding her dragon quickly towards it. The vines whipped against her as they flew through them, landing gently on the soft dirt.

Astrid climbed from the saddle, hopping to the ground, giving Stormfly a well-received scratch under the chin. The Nadder sauntered to the back of the cave, blowing a few short flames onto the ground before curling up. Within moments, the dragon was snoring quietly. Astrid sat on the ground next to her, resting her back against Stromfly's scales.

Her mind was full of horrible images, Drogo's sick smile, the sight of the armoury on fire, and Nikolas lying dead on the floor of the Great Hall. Poor Nikolas, she had brought him into her plan, he had risked everything to help her, and now he was dead. She could still smell the blood, seeping into her gaps between the stone flag flooring of the Hall, it would take weeks to get rid of the smell. It was her fault, she had caused it, because of her, an innocent boy was gone from the world, and there was nothing she could do to bring him back. As she closed her eyes, the same thoughts looped around in her mind until.

They we're about to go to War.

War.

She remembered all those years ago, watching her father go off to battle with the other Hooligan warriors. She could have only been five or six years old, standing on the docks in the bitter cold, clutching her favourite stuffed toy in one hand, her mother's hand in the other. She remembered standing and watching the sails of the ships as they disappeared over the horizon, tears rolling down her cheeks and listening to her moth say calming things, like _'Don't worry sweetheart, daddy will be home soon'_.

Most times that turned out to be true, she would rejoice upon seeing her father step onto the docks, running into his arms and refusing to let go. Until the one time…that it wasn't true. The day when her father never came home. She had shut herself in her room for over a week, sobbing continuously. If she couldn't stop what was about to happen, how many other Berk children would cry themselves to sleep, knowing that their fathers were never coming back. No, that wasn't going to happen.

She wouldn't let it.

* * *

The thundering of hooves split the silence as Hiccup galloped through the bleak landscape; the leather reins rubbed soon-to-be blisters between his fingers. It had been a long ride, almost three and a half hours since he had left Sky Haven Temple. By now the afternoon was rapidly moving into evening, the late sun beating down onto the snow. At least it was starting to feel cooler. Despite the storm the previous day, the weather had been surprisingly warm; large patches of snow had already melted, giving way to small flowers blooming at the road side.

As the rode on, Hiccup saw Ivarstead approaching in the distance, and he saw something he didn't expect. The village was lit up like a Snoggletog tree, almost every colour he could imagine. They quickly reached the village gates, and after securing his horse and giving it some well-deserved food and water, he began to walk towards the village square.

It was a festival. Along the usually darkening road shone hundreds of lamps; illuminating with their flickering candles. The light was cast every colour by tinted panes of glass, sparkling brilliantly against the snow on the ground. Everywhere he looked there were folks in their winter garb, thick woollen coats, mitts and scarfs. Most of the children were carrying a lamp of their own making. He could hear the townsfolk singing, their voices carrying beautifully into the evening light. For the first time in days, he actually felt happy, happy that people could still celebrate and have fun despite the war and the threat of the dragons looming.

He walked further into the village, between the locals in their costumes, as colourful as a summer garden, bold yellows, magenta, cyan and emerald green. There were sequins sparkling in the glow of the lamps and feathers of every colour. Wherever he looked, there were painted faces and masks, stilt walkers marching down the middle of the crowd, waving as they went. The music was the heartbeat of the crowd as they swayed and danced in time to the beat. Food sellers weaved through the mass of onlookers, the aroma of their wares perfumed the air.

Then, on the far side of the road, he caught sight of a familiar face, her mahogany hair twirling as she danced.

"Imogen!"

The young girl spun round to face him, her eyes alight with joy. She was wearing a stunning dark blue dress; her hair tied up into a bun with a single rose weaved intricately into the weaves.

"Hiccup!"

Imogen sprinted through the crowd towards him, almost knocking one of the stilt walkers over completely. Hiccup laughed as she ran to him, flinging herself into his arms. This time, he had no hesitation in returning the hug. The last time he had seen her, she was being dragged through the dirt by Dagur, used as a pawn to try and get to him. Hiccup was relieved to see that she was safe and well.

"It's so good to see you again!" Imogen exclaimed excitedly, releasing the hug.

"And you Imogen. Wow, look at you, you look amazing"

"Oh…thank you..." Imogen replied, brushing one of her bands behind her ear, her cheeks already beginning to blush, "…I never got a chance to thank you for saving me"

"You wouldn't have needed saving if it wasn't for me, I'm sorry"

"You're not responsible for the actions of other men"

"But he is after me, and he used you to try and get to me"

"But you rescued me, I owe you my life"

"You're welcome. Anyway, what is all this?" Hiccup asked, motioning to the celebrations going on around them.

"It's the Festival of light, the end of spring and the start of summer"

"Well it looks like you certainly know how to throw a party" Hiccup laughed, stepping aside to avoid some excited children skipping past them.

"Well we weren't going to let a little snow storm stop us. Here, dance with me" Imogen clasped onto Hiccups hand, pulling him towards the sound of the music.

"Oh, no, I can't dance, I really shouldn't….."

His protest fell on deaf ears as Imogen lead him towards the spot where the other locals were dancing. Kicking her right leg forward with pointed toes, Imogen pivoted in a revolving whirl of sharp precision and accurate grace. Hiccup felt rather embarrassed at his own dance moves, which looked a lot more like an awkward jig than any kind of dance. Imogen laughed as Hiccup attempted to follow the beat, grabbing his hands and leading him along with her. The lights were twinkling with every step as Imogen spun in delicate circles, her dark dress billowing out. Gradually, Hiccup felt more relaxed, moving more in time to the music, his useless dancing giving way to show some degree of skill, although nowhere near to anything that Imogen was doing.

The song ended, the locals applauding the musicians loudly, Hiccup was out of breath, he had never danced like that before, and Vikings weren't particularly fond of it. He remembered the vain attempts by Astrid and his mother to improve his skills, which had resulted in him being on his backside more than on his feet. But he had enjoyed that, after he past few days it had been nice to relax and have a little fun. Imogen smiled as she took his hand once more, leading him to the front of the crowd. She bounded up onto the stage, picking up a lute and facing the crowd.

"This song is for the people of Ivarstead!" she called out receiving a hearty applause from the crowd. Hiccup smiled as Imogen struck the first few chords, and then began to sing;

_Brave the snow, through the pillars of the pale_

_Rest your feet, come and listen to the tales_

_Raise your mug, to the legends of the frost_

_Through our songs, they will never be lost_

_Tales that will never be lost, kept in the legends of the frost_

_Tales that will never be lost, kept in the legends of the frost_

_Once and always, a part of history_

_Long remembered, warriors be_

_Distant thunder, echoes of the past_

_Through our voices, forever to last_

_Tales that will never be lost, Kept in the legends of the frost_

_Tales that will never be lost, kept in the legends of the frost_

_In our hearts, the memory live on_

_Bless the father, mother and the son_

_Legends come, legends fall_

_Dragonborn, protector of us all_

_Tales that will never be lost, kept in the legends of the frost_

_Tales that will never be lost, kept in the legends of the frost_

_So raise your mug to the legends of the frost_

_Through our songs they will never be lost..._

A cacophony of applause and cheering, whooping, hollering, clapping and stamping of feet erupted as Imogen finished the song. Hiccup applauded loudly as Imogen took her bow, placing the loot back into its stand and hopping down from the stage.

"Wow Imogen, that was….incredible"

"Thank you" Imogen replied, whipping small beads of sweat from her brow.

"You've really got a talent for music, you should play to one of the Jarls, I'm sure they would take you as their court musician"

"You really think so?" Imogen asked, taking two small cups of water from one of the food vendors' carts, handing one of them to Hiccup.

"Yeah why not, you've got a knack for it, they'd be lucky to….."

All of a sudden, the serenity of the festival was broken by the sound of women screaming. Hiccup span round as the crowd charged towards them. He could see smoke rising into the air on the far side of the village, the guards already running towards the commotion.

"Hiccup, what's going on?" Imogen asked, peering over his shoulder to see what was happening.

"I don't know. Get inside, bar the doors, do not come out until I say so" Hiccup ordered, drawing Nethersbane and running after the guards. The other women and children were being ushered into the buildings around the village, the men grabbing whatever weapons they could find and heading in the direction of the smoke. Hiccup barged his way through the crowd, holding Nethersbane down at his side to avoid cutting any of the terrified villagers speeding past him. The guards had assembled after the Mill at the far end of the village, Hiccup motioning his way through to stand at the front of them. Then, he saw what was causing the panic.

"Dagur"

"Well Hello Hiccup, surprised to see me here, it was a very clever trick you pulled to turn my men against me" Dagur cackled, standing with a torch in his hand beside the already raging inferno that was once someone's home.

"Leave this village Dagur, these people have done nothing to you!" Hiccup spat back, raising Nethersbane. The guards each drew their weapons, standing firm beside him.

"They seem like they are protecting you Hiccup. In my eyes that makes them your allies, and any ally of yours, is an enemy of mine" Dagur scowled, drawing his own weapon. Hiccup looked to them men behind Dagur, at least 30 of them, each armed to the teeth.

"I see you found yourself some new lackeys to follow you around everywhere. What's the matter Dagur, afraid to handle things yourself?"

"I wouldn't say found exactly, more like….hired. This is Jatho, their leader so to speak" Dagur smirked as Jatho raised his hand. The men drew their blades, a collection of rusted swords and exes, but no less dangerous.

"I won't let any more people die because of you Dagur, let's you and me end this, once and for all!"

Dagur laughed manically at Hiccup, his sickly laugh filling Hiccup with distain.

"Oh Hiccup, ever the noble one aren't you, always on the side of the innocent and the weak. Why on Earth would I fight you myself when I've got 30 men here who will slaughter every single person in this village? And once they've had their fun, then I will deal with you"

"You're insane Dagur" Hiccup scowled, gripping the hilt of Nethersbane, the lather on the handle squeaking in his grip.

"I would say I was more…Deranged, gents, take a walk"

Dagur lowered his hand as the men charged forward, their battle cried echoing across the valley. Hiccup raised his sword, quickly glancing back to the city guards.

"HOLD YOUR GROUND!"

Dagur's mercenaries drew closer and closer, the light from the flaming building glinting of their swords. Close and closer, until they slammed into the line of guards. Hiccup swung Nethersbane hard, slicing across the chest of the man directly in front of him, who collapsed to the floor, screaming in pain as he clutched his grievous chest wound.

The sound of steel clashing filled the air, men shouting in agony as their flesh was pieced and torn. Hiccup blocked blow after blow of the other mercenaries advancing upon them, cutting and slicing towards them as hard as he good. He struck a few good blows, the mercenaries collapsing to the floor. Crimson-red blood stained the ground as men wailed and screamed.

Then, a sudden gush of pain jolted throughout Hiccup's body. His arms lost tension and his legs began to weaken. He stumbled to a knee, the cut on his arms staining his shirt a titan red. He glanced up, and saw Dagur and Jatho smirking in the distance, both of them reloading their bows. Hiccup hauled himself back to his feet, steadying himself before charging towards them, barging another advancing mercenary aside. Dagur raised his bow again, took aim and fired. The arrow whipped towards Hiccup, but this time his aim was off, as it zoomed past Hiccup's left shoulder. Jatho fumbled with his arrow, trying to get it onto the bow string, but he was to slow. Hiccup charged towards them, Nethersbane in hand.

"DAGUR!"

Jatho charged with the hooked blade upheld, going to his foreswing and following it with a backswing. Hiccup dodged the first and met the second with Nethersbane. Jatho stumbled back, but the blade remained in his grip. Another arcing shot sliced the fabric of Hiccup's shirt at the midsection. Hiccup swung back, but Jatho met the strike with his own blade, smirking as their weapons tangled.

Jatho began to push Hiccup back; he must have out-weighed him by 20 pounds or more. His face was so close; Hiccup could almost smell his breath, a horrible stench of meat and bad mead.

"Dagur will give me a nice bonus for this" Jatho smirked as he pressed his blade down hard. Hiccup pushed back, but the hooked steel was drawing dangerously close to his neck. He had to do something, or this could be his last fight. With one sudden move, Hiccup slid to his knees, Jatho stumbling forward. With one quick strike, Hiccup plunged Nethersbane into Jatho's leg, the mercenary howling like an animal as he collapsed to the floor, tried to stand, and dropped again. Hiccup stood over his foe, pointing the tip of Nethersbane straight at his heart.

"DO IT!" Jatho bellowed, clutching his leg as the blood began to flow. Hiccup paused, as much as he wanted to; his entire body seemed to be fighting against him from striking the final blow. It was not in his nature to kill another man, if he took this man's life, he would be no better than Dagur.

"No, I won't kill you…." Hiccup sighed, slowly lowering Nethersbane, "…but I will do this"

With all his might, hiccup punched Jatho straight on the jaw; the horrendous sound of bones breaking sent a chill down his back. Jatho jolted from the blow before slumping unconscious to the ground, Dagur watching as his best fighter was beaten and hired thugs being cut to ribbons by the guards.

"RETREAT! RETREAT!" cried Dagur, turning and running back towards the forest. His surviving mercenaries quickly abandoned whomever they were fighting, following him into the thick canopy, "THIS ISN'T OVER HICCUP, NOT BY A LONG SHOT! NEXT TIME I WILL GET YOU, YOU'LL SEE"

And with that, Dagur disappeared into the trees. Hiccup sucked some much needed air into his lungs, it had only been a short fight, but it was enough to make his muscles ache. The pain in his arm was still there as he gingerly inspected the wound. It wasn't a deep cut, a few bandages and he would be fine.

"I look forward to it Dagur" Hiccup whispered to himself, sheathing Nethersbane as he stared after the fleeing mercenaries, "I very much look forward to it"


	26. Chapter 26 - The Throat of the World

"As we commend your souls to Aetherius, blessings of the Eight Divines upon you, for you are the salt and earth of the world, our beloved children, and beloved of Arkay. May you find peace in your afterlife, and may your body find rest. Let no profane desecration fall upon thy remains, and may Arkay protect your body and welcome your soul in his Halls, until this world is no more."

No sooner had the priest finished speaking that the pyres were engulfed in flames as the torches were placed upon them. It had all happened so fast. One moment the whole village was celebrating and dancing, and the next, the fires raged on the hills outside the city gates, the bodies of the dead burning into nothing.

The heat radiated against Hiccups skin, his arm still throbbing from the arrow wound. He held the torch in his other hand as he set it against the dry straw and wood, igniting it in seconds before he stepped back. The flames overtook the pyre in a matter of moments. Imogen lent against his arm, resting her head on his shoulder. Tears rolled gently down her cheeks. The magnitude of despair in her eyes was heart breaking.

"I'm sorry Imogen, this is all my fault" Hiccup said softly.

"How….how could this have happened" Imogen cried quietly, burying her face into the cloth of Hiccups tunic. The lump in his throat made it difficult to breath. It had happened again, he had brought death and suffering on so many innocent people.

"These men are monsters, and they will never stop hunting me" Hiccup replied, glaring deep into the flames as they danced into the sky.

"What…._sniff_….what do we do now?" Imogen asked, whipping the tears away.

"_We_ are not going to do anything, you and your people have suffered enough because of me, and the longer I stay here, the more danger I am putting you in. I have to leave"

"What? No Hiccup, don't go…." Imogen intertwined her hand into his. Hiccup turned to face her, her eyes wide in desperation, "please….stay, stay with us…..with me"

"I can't, everywhere I go, all I seem to bring is suffering. I'm heading back to High Hrothgar tonight, you will all be safer without me around"

"That's not true, you're the Dragonborn, we are always safe with you around"

"You just don't understand Imogen, if I stay here, Dagur and his men will come back, or worse, a dragon could find me here and destroy everything. I have to leave, it's the only way"

Imogen dropped her gaze to the ground, fresh tears welling up in her eyes. It was tearing Hiccup apart that he was the cause of so much pain and suffering for her, and as much as he didn't want to leave, he had no choice.

"Then….let me come with you, I can help"

"What about your family Imogen, they need you here, besides, it will be too dangerous if you…."

"What good am I if I just sit here and hide," Imogen snapped, "I'm done with hiding away, I swore an oath to Thorin that I would fight by his side, and through that oath, I will fight by your side!"

Hiccup was rather taken aback at this new side of Imogen. He wasn't used to seeing her full of such passion and fire, a steely determination across her face. He couldn't help but smile back at her.

"Well…..I guess we should get ready to go then" Hiccup replied. Imogen managed a weak smile before she turned and headed back to her home, presumably to collect her belongings and say goodbye to her mother. Hiccup turned back to the funeral pyres. Almost the entire village was huddled around them, families weeping for the loved ones they had lost. His mind wandered back to that fateful day all those years ago, as he watched is father's funeral ship drift away into the fog, one of the worst days of his life. He would never forget the pain that he felt that day.

But the sadness was erased by thought of anger towards one of the men who had caused all that suffering tonight. Jatho had been taken away and locked in the cellar of the water wheel building by the village guards. Hiccup needed to speak with him before he left, find out what Dagur's next move would be. He walked briskly towards the water wheel, two guards stepping aside as he entered the building and descended down to the cellar.

Jatho was sat at a table with his head down, his arms and legs shackled in chains. A single torch provided only a faint light. Hiccup pulled out the chair opposite and sat directly across from him, producing a small dagger from his belt and placing it on the table. He wasn't going to let Jatho try and ambush him, even with his shackled limbs.

"What is Dagur planning to do next?" Hiccup asked bluntly, getting straight to the point.

"You honestly think that I'm going to tell you anything, you're wasting your time" Jatho smirked.

"You know you can make this easy for yourself by talking. Dozens of witnesses saw you murder innocent people out there. If I'm not mistaken, the laws of your land means a one way trip to the block for you. But if you tell me what I need to know, perhaps we can make a deal"

Jatho chuckle to himself, raising his head and slumping back in his chair, wincing slightly from the still open wound in his leg.

"I've been sentenced to death before, and I've always managed to give the block the slip. Why should this time be any different? And besides, you're the one who is going to receive a death sentence"

"What are you talking about?" Hiccup asked, placing his hand on the handle of the dagger.

"I've heard about you, about what you are. The legendary Dragonborn, the supposed saviour of our world, but as far as I can see, all you've done is let people die for you. Dagur told me about Solitude, how you refused to come save all those people, sent your brother instead, or what about the people in Helgen? A dragon attacked, and you did nothing, or maybe we should talk about tonight, those women and children whose bodies are burning out there right now….."

Hiccup sprung from his chair, driving his fist into Jatho's already broken jaw. The mercenaries head snapped back from the impact, several teeth flying out of his already broken jaw and hitting the floor with a faint clatter.

"SHUT YOUR DAMN MOUTH RIGHT NOW! YOU KILLED ALL THOSE PEOPLE TONIGHT, THEIR BLOOD IS ON YOUR HANDS!"

Jatho spat copious amounts of blood onto the floor, his eyes watered, but he did not cry out in pain, he just smirked back at Hiccup.

"Some much anger, so much venom in you, I like it. But rest assured, the blood of these people is not on my hands, it's on yours, the one who failed to protect them"

Alerted by the shouting, the two guards come rushing frantically into the room, their swords already drawn.

"Is everything all right in here?!"

"TAKE THIS PIECE OF SLIME AWAY, HAVE HIM EXECUTED TONIGHT, I DON'T WANT HIM TO SEE ANOTHER SUNRISE!" Hiccup bellowed, kicking his chair away violently and storming back up the stairs. He could hear his own frantic heart beat in his ears. His fists clenched together in anger as he exited the building and looked back up to the flaming pyres. Except for Dagur, he had never wanted someone to die as much as Jatho.

But in the back of his mind, a sickly thought had crept in. What if Jatho was right?

What was happening to him? He had never felt so much anger in his life. A few weeks prior, the thought of him fighting and killing people was unthinkable, and killing dragons, he would have been sick just at the mention of either of them. But now, in this place, it was becoming a daily occurrence. And how many more innocent people were going to die because of him? He'd lost count of the number of fights he'd caused since he left home. It was always the same, no matter what he did, things never changed. It seemed unfair that no matter how much he strived to be the man his conscience wanted him to be, it would keep taunting him with his failures, failures that had cost so many lives. Each time the regrets re-emerged he would analyse them again, hoping that this time his mind would be satisfied with his self-professed remorse, but it never was. Like an unforgiving spectre, it would be back tomorrow to haunt him all over again.

He couldn't bear to stare at the flames anymore, they just fuelled the horrible guilt inside him. He needed to get away. Hiccup turned and began to walk back through the village towards the bridge leading to the 7,000 steps. The locals were busy clearing away the rubble from the streets, everything from shattered glass in the windows to broken pots and charged pieces of wood. Luckily the building Dagur had set on fire had been empty, a small consolation at this point.

Darkness had now finally set in as the night fell. The moon shone brightly in the sky, illuminating the darkness of the forest around them with a cold white light. He avoided eye contact with the villagers as much as he could as he walked past them. The guilt sat not on his chest, but inside his brain. Some of the things he had done couldn't be undone. How was he going to explain everything when, if, he was ever able to get home, back to Berk, what he had done, making innocent people suffer, killing dragons, obtaining super natural powers. He felt sick at what his friends might think of him.

He reached the bridge, taking long deep breaths to calm himself down, which worked up to a point. He relaxed his hands and could feel his rage subsiding. He gazing up into the clear night skies. A few faint twinkles of yellow light shone against the brilliant white of the snow on the mountain top. The Greybeards must have lit them, waiting for him to return. The sound of footsteps behind him signalled that Imogen had caught up to him, carrying a small satchel under her arm and a small sword hanging from her belt.

"So, where do we go now?" she asked.

"I have to speak to the Greybeards, learn a particular shout, powerful enough to defeat any dragon. Then I'll find Alduin and destroy him, it's the only way to end all this madness"

"Is there such a thing? I've read hundreds of books about the Greybeards and the Dragonborn, studied the Dragon shouts with Thorin and I've never heard of a single shout like that"

"I don't know," Hiccup replied, "But there is only one way to find out. We need to get to the temple tonight….and I have a very special job for you when we get there"

"Of course, anything" Imogen replied, her eyes lighting up with excitement. Hiccup smiled back at her, it was good to see her happy again.

"I have some guests arriving at the temple in the morning, Thorin as well. He is guiding them from Riverwood. Once they arrive, I need you to make sure they are kept safe, don't leave their side for a moment"

"So you want me…..to be a babysitter" Imogen said disappointed.

"No, nothing like that. They are my friends, I owe my life to them in fact. I said I would do anything I could to keep them safe, and I need your help"

Imogen raised an eyebrow to him, clearly still not entirely convinced at the request he was making of her.

"Okay, I'll do it"

"Thank you Imogen. Now let's get going, I don't want to be on the steps at night for any longer than we have too, it's bad enough up there during the day"

* * *

It had taken a lot on convincing to the owner of the barge to allow him to travel for free, but he had managed it. Dragons Bridge had long disappeared into the inky blackness of the night behind him, but at last, Fishlegs could see the twinkling lantern lights ahead of him. Using a few of the pieces of gold that he did had with him, he had bought a new wool cloak, it was much colder than he had expected, and a crudely drawn map, which if had followed correctly, was drawing him close to Riverwood.

The village gates were open as he approached, two guards patrolling along the perimeter fence. Fishlegs huddled under his coat as he walked past, not wanting to drawn attention to himself. All he wanted was to find a warm bed for the night before continuing on. The streets were almost deserted, obviously everyone had already closed up shop and gone home for the night. The only sounds he could hear was the trickle of water in the river and the owls in the trees.

As he walked, he saw a women drawing the last set of curtains in her home, a small boy sitting inside the window, clutching a book in his hands, apparently waiting for his mother to read to him. This brought a small smile to Fishlegs, he had always enjoyed reading to the children back on Berk, all of the huddled together in the Great Hall, sitting by the fire and drinking warm cups of lemon tea. His eyes drifted to the last building on the street, a sign creaking and swaying in the gentle wind.

'The Sleeping Giant Inn'

_"__Perfect" _Fishlegs thought to himself, his stomach rumbling. He marched up to the steps of the Inn, the enticing smell of bread, cooked meat and mead met his nostrils. Pushing open the door and stepping inside, the roar and heat of the fire pit instantly warmed his muscles. Removing his cloak, he approached the bar, where a man was cleaning goblets and plates in a small water basin.

"Uhh…..excuse me"

The man looked up from the dirty goblets, drying his hands on his apron.

"Welcome to the Sleeping Giant Inn, I'm Orgnar, what can I get you this evening"

"Well, I'd like a room for the night and maybe something to eat?"

"Of course sir, we have softest beds and best food around. You can take the room on the left, make yourself at home and I will prepare some supper for you"

"Thank you very much" Fishlegs replied, dropping three gold pieces onto the bar, which were gleefully scooped up by Orgnar. He carried his cloak and bag over to the room, pushing open the door. It wasn't the best accommodation he had ever seen, but it would have to do. Fishlegs quickly hung up his cloak and dropped his bag onto the bed, grabbing his notebook out of it before he exited and closed the door. Looking around the Inn, he noticed only a few other patrons inside, huddled at each of their tables, talking in hushed voices. He saw one empty table at the far side of the room, hastily walking towards it and taking a seat. Orgnar bustled up to the table, placing a plate of bread and cheese in front of him with a large goblet of mead.

"Thank you, it smells delicious" Fishlegs commented, the scent of the warm bread made his mouth water.

"You're very kind sir. Tell me, where have you come from? Not often we get new visitors at this sort of hour"

"Well, I'm from far away" Fishlegs replied, tearing a piece of bread and shovelling it into his mouth.

"So you're travelling then, how long for?" Orgnar asked

"Only a few days now"

Orgnar pulled out a chair and took a seat next to Fishlegs, watching with pride as he scoffed down a hunk of cheese and a large glug of the mead.

"Well you didn't chose a brilliant time to visit us in Riverwood, all sorts of things have been going on lately, first the civil war, then dragon attacks, then the Dragonborn being here and all the business…"

Fishlegs almost choked on his latest mouthful of bread, spitting crumbs across the table. Orgnar raised a curious eyebrow as Fishlegs pounded on his chest, coughing through his food.

"…._COUGH!._…Did you…..say….._COUGH!_…the Dragonborn….was here…_ COUGH!_"

"Yes, just this morning actually" Orgnar replied, brushing some of the crumbs away that had landed on his shirt. Fishlegs took another few gulps of the mead, washing down the bread he was almost choking on.

"….._GLUG_….._GLUG_….._GLUG_….._GLUG_…..Where? Where did he go?!" Fishlegs asked frantically.

"Why? Is he a friend of yours?"

"Uhh, well….he's….." Fishlegs stuttered, Jarl Elisif words of warning instantly flooding into his brain. He still didn't know exactly what was happening, but if the reaction of the Jarl was anything to go by, perhaps admitting to knowing Hiccup wasn't a good idea, "I'm just a fan of his is all, I've wanted to meet him ever since I heard the Dragonborn has returned"

"HA HA! Another crazy fan of the Dragonborn, I suspected as much" Orgnar laughed, "We've had people coming through here for days asking for him, usually just like you…..except for those two men just a few hours ago"

"Two men? Which two men?" Fishlegs asked.

"Couple of brutish types. One had a spiked helmet, odd looking war paint and such"

Fishlegs knew immediate who Orgnar was talking about. So it was true, Dagur was here, for once the Berserkers hadn't been lying.

"So do you know where he went?" Fishlegs asked, swallowing the last of the bread and cheese from his plate.

"Headed out west with the some companions, including the former proprietor of this fine establishment"

"That's a little bit vague isn't it?" Fishlegs huffed, "Besides, I heard in Solitude that he was at that temple in the mountains"

"You mean High Hrothgar? He could be, only way to find out is to head there yourself"

"I will, first thing in the morning" Fishlegs pushed the plate and empty tankard to Orgnar, "Thank you for the food, it was delicious"

Orgnar smiled widely as he picked up the plates, clearly appreciating the compliment. Fishlegs whipped his mouth with his sleeve as he got up from his seat and went back to his room, closing the door behind him gently. Reaching into his bag, he pulled out the map, running his finger along a small narrow road winding through the forest.

"I can't just head west with no idea where Hiccup is, I guess I'll have to keep heading East. Let's see, if I follow this road, the next village is Ivarstead, then across this bridge and up the mountain. Looks like a long walk, best get some sleep"

Putting away the map, Fishlegs lay back on the bed, stretching and yawning as he sunk into the mattress. The air was still and the flame of the candle on the bedside table barely flickered. It was steady and bright enough to relieve the darkness of the room, but it was not enough to read by, casting shadows that danced across the ceiling. The wick blackened and the wax slowly turned to liquid, running down the side and onto the glass plate. For a while, he just laid and watched them, until his eyelids began to grow heavy. No sooner had the candle burnt out the last of its flame, Fishlegs drifted off to sleep.

* * *

She didn't know how long she had been asleep, but the cave was bathed in almost total darkness as Astrid opened her eyes. The fire pit had just burnt out, leaving only orange glows within the charred timber. She could feel and hear the breath of her dragon sleeping soundly behind her. Stretch out her arms and legs, Astrid yawned widely. She hadn't been sleeping much lately, so a decent nap was something she had desperately sought.

The wind rustled the vines at the cave entrance, their scent carried into the cave by the breeze. For the first time in over a week, Astrid felt a small measure of peace. A small part of her subconscious was telling her to stay in the cave, to stay where the cruelty of the world could not reach her, where she could live in peace. But the rest of her knew that wasn't an option.

But the peace was not to last, as off in the distance, another sound met her ears, like a sharp pitch wailing across the darkening skies. She walked towards the entrance, the sound getting louder and louder. Poking her head through the vines, she recognised the sound of the village horns blaring.

"Oh no, what now, Stormfly, let's go"

The Nadder groggily clambered up, following her rider to the cave entrance. Astrid quickly climbed in the saddle before the pair flew out of the cave. It was another crystal clear night, the sun had obviously set hours ago, revealing a bright blanket of stars in the sky. The crescent moon shone brightly against the blackness of the ocean, the light dancing across the ripples and the waves. As she flew overhead, Astrid could feel the heat from the roaring fires set by the Lava Lout soldiers, wo, like her, were scampering up the hill towards the sounds of the horns.

Within minutes, she arrived in the village square, the other members of the council and the visiting chiefs had started to gather, Toothless and the dragons sniffing the air, wondering what all the commotion was about. The Companion soldiers were ushering the women and children into the nearest building. Astrid didn't know what was happening, but it obviously wasn't good.

"What's happening?!" she called out as they landed.

"Ships have been spotted, approaching from the South, a dozen of them at least" Gobber replied, busying himself swapping his prosthetic hand into his prosthetic hammer, Grump nudging him gently in the back.

"Do we know who they are, colours, sails, anything?"

"It's too dark to tell, but they are getting close, what do you want to do?!" Valka asked.

"Get riders in the air, I want to know who they are!" Astrid barked. Ruffnut, Tuffnut immediately mounted their dragon and took off towards the academy, "Gobber, take as many men as you can and prepare the catapults, if they get within 100 yards of the shore, send them down to meet Njörður personally"

The square erupted into a flurry of activity, Gobber hobbled as fast as he could towards the harbour, gathering up Spitelout and a group of men to help him prepare the defences. Most of the women and children were now safely inside, the Companion soldiers following Gobber towards the docks. But out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of Snotlout, calmly leaning on some railing, Hookfang loitering beside him.

"Snotlout, what are you doing? Get to the academy and help muster the rider!"

"Trust me, we won't need them" Snotlout replied, a calm smile spread across his face.

"What are you talking about, we're under attack, get moving now!" Astrid bellowed

"No we're not. Go down to the harbour, you'll see"

Astrid stared at him in an annoyed confusion, before climbing back into her saddle, pulled on the reigns and took to the sky once more, Valka following close behind on Cloudjumper, with Toothless behind them. As the trio sped towards the docks, Astrid could just about see the ships approaching in the distance.

She landed on the docks with a thud, leaping from her dragon and sprinting to the end of the nearest pier. The ships were much clearer now, the white sails growing on the horizon. She fumbled at her belt, grabbing her spyglass and peering through the lens. Valka hadn't bene lying, none of the ships carried any kind of distinguishable markings, no flags flying from the masts, nothing. Astrid felt the thud of Toothless, Valka and Cloudjumper landing behind her, followed by the footsteps as they joined her on the edge of the pier.

"Who are these guys?" Astrid asked, handing the spyglass to Valka.

"I don't know…..but no markings is never a good sign, they could be pirates, or bandits, or…." Valka slowly lowered the spyglass, her eyes wide in fear, "…..Berserker reinforcements"

Astrid didn't dare look away from the approaching fleet. They could have been no more than half a mile out by now. Toothless and Cloudjumper began to grown menacingly, baring their teeth at the oncoming ships. What was she going to do?

"I told you, we've got nothing to worry about"

Valka and Astrid both turned to see Snotlout strolling down the pier towards them, a Terrible Terror perched on his arm, clutching a crumpled note in its claws. Hookfang sauntered behind him, the Monstrous Nightmare looked like it didn't have a care in the world

"Snotlout, what's going on here?" Valka asked

"Yeah, how can you be so relaxed at a time like this? You of all people would be panicking like a mad man right now!" Astrid snapped, more aggressively than she intended to be honest.

"Take another look" he replied, nodding towards the ships. Astrid and Valka exchanged worried looks, turning back to face the fleet. A figure had appeared on the foredeck of the lead ship, a dark green cloak blowing in the wind. It was still too dark too see exactly who it was as Astrid focused through the spyglass. But then, another figure appeared on the ship, the torch in their hand illuminating their faces in the darkness. Astrid almost dropped her spyglass when she saw who it was.

"Camacazi?"

Astrid and Valka stood in stunned silence for a few minutes until the ship slid slowly into the harbour. Now that they could see it up close, they realised how massive it was. The Bog Burglars we're known for their naval prowess just as much as they we're for their land fighting skills. The ship must have been over 60 feet long, cannons protruding from every port hole. The wood of the hull looked smooth and varnished, with giant armour shielding cutting through the water.

As the ropes flew down from the ship, the Hooligan and Companion soldiers quickly tied down the ship. Without even waiting for the gangplank, Camacazi leapt over the railing, landing on the deck only a few feet in front of them.

The tension in the air was almost electric as Astrid and Camacazi stared at one another. One the one hand, Astrid was pleased to see her friend again, but on the other, the deep feelings of betrayal still lingered in her heart. Camacazi had abandoned them, there was no escaping that fact. When their needs was greatest, she had fled, taking her army and sailing home.

"Astrid…I….." Camacazi finally spoke, breaking the dreadfully awkward silence, "…..I know what you must think of me right now, and I don't blame you. But you have to understand, I did it for the sake of my people, I had no choice. I…..I understand if you never forgi…"

Her speech was abruptly halted as Astrid flung her arms around her friend, gripping her in a tight hug. Valka stood back and smiled as the two girls embraced, Cloudjumper and Stormfly cooing in approval. The council members, chieftains and dragon riders all started to gather on the dock behind them.

"You came back….thank you…." Astrid said softly, squeezing her friend even tighter.

"Glad to see you finally came to your senses" Eret chuckled as the two broke the hug.

"Well, you have to thank him for that" Camacazi replied, nodding in the direction of Snotlout. The entire group turned to face him, each with the same dumbfounded expression on their faces. Snotlout held the crumpled note in his hand, giving the Terror on his arm a brief scratch on the chin before it took off.

"Snotlout….." said Astrid, her voice quite with shock.

"He sent me a message this morning, the Terror found us out on a patrol of our Island, so we summoned our armada and sailed straight here"

Astrid stared at the note in Snotlout's hand as he casually held it out for her. She gently took the note and looked at the word, sprawled across the page in his usual scruffy handwriting;

_Camacazi, Chief of the Bog Burglar Tribe_

_I know that you have already made your choice to not fight in the war. I understand that you have a duty to your people and to your home, and you have my upmost respect for that. But, I would beg you to reconsider._

_Our armoury was burned to the ground this morning. We have no weapons, no armour, nothing to defend ourselves except our dragons, and even they won't be enough against the Berserker army, you know that._

_The Berserkers are out of control, they murdered one of their own soldiers right in the middle of our Great Hall. He was only 17, poor kid, stabbed in the back by his own leader. Astrid and the others are right, they won't stop with Berk. They will rape, pillage a burn their way across the entire Archipelago, until there is nothing left but ash and death._

_I know what you may be thinking, that homes can be rebuilt, that time will heal the wounds of war, but that is not true. I admit I have had my doubts in our choices in allies recently, but I have come to the realisation that we may live on separate Islands, different parts of the world even, live by our own customs and traditions, but we one people, one people united against a common enemy._

_I cannot force your hand in this matter, but I'm not sending this message to do that. I'm not asking you to return and fight for Berk, I'm not asking you to fight for your people. I'm asking you to stand with us, to protect the world that we all call home. I hope you can come to same conclusion that I have, that despite all our differences and grievances in the past, we are united._

_Please, return this terror with a message of your decision._

_My Thor guide you,_

_Snotlout Jorgenson_

Astrid finished reading the note, looking up from the paper into the face of her friend. She handed the note to Gobber, who began to read for himself.

"You did this…..you sent for them?" Astrid asked

"Yes. I know that I have not been the easiest person to deal with recently, and I'm sorry for that, but I understand now, we can't sit here and bicker whilst our homes are under threat"

"That's a short space of time for a man to change?" Mogadon added.

"A man can only admit when he was wrong" Snotlout replied

"I'm proud of your son" Spitelout beamed, placing his hand on Snotlout's shoulder, the young Viking smiling back at his father.

"I have to admit Snotlout, I'm impressed" said Heather, walking up beside him a planting a gently kiss on his cheek. Snotlout's face immediately turned beat red, triggering a number of quite sniggers amongst the crowd.

"This is awesome! Now we have an ever bigger army to fight back" Tuffnut cackled, slamming his head into the helmet of his sister. Ruffnut glared at her brother before slamming a fist into his face, sending him tumbling backwards, resulting in more laughter from the crowd.

"Thank you Snotlout, you might just have turned the tide in this war" said Astrid, taking his hand in hers and squeezing gently.

"I just hope I can make up for all the stuff I've done, you know, being such a pain and all…."

"You already have" Astrid smiled.

* * *

The snow slowly fell as the looming towers of High Hrothgar appeared over the crest of the hill. Hiccup watched as Imogen gazed in wonder at the sight in front of her. The candlelit windows shone brightly against the whiteness of the snow.

"Well Imogen, here we are, welcome to High Hrothgar"

Hiccup smiled as he watched Imogen marvel at the temple, her eyes bright in amazement, her mouth hanging slightly ajar. He himself was pretty awe struck at how the temple looked on that particular night, like a glowing beacon resting on the mountain side.

"It's beautiful" said Imogen, so quietly it was almost a whisper.

"Come on, let's get inside, I don't know about you, but I'm pretty tired of the cold out here" Hiccup chuckled, huddling inside his coat. Imogen laugh back as the pair walked to the main doors. Hiccup pushed the door open, holding it to allow Imogen to enter. The inside of the temple was warm an inviting, a fresh scent of jasmine wafted from the smoking pots now mounted on the wall.

Hiccup removed his heavy coat, placing it on the ground by the entrance. Brushing the snow from his hair, he walked towards the main chamber, Imogen following close behind. Arngeir was mediating in the centre of the room. Alerted by Hiccups footsteps, the Greybeard got to his feet.

"You have returned Dragonborn. I must say you took….longer than I was expecting"

Yes well, I had a few….delays" Hiccup replied

"Indeed" said Arngeir, glancing past Hiccup towards Imogen, the young girl almost shrinking back behind Hiccup, "You know that outsiders are not permitted inside the temple"

"I was an outsider once, and you let me enter. Her name is Imogen, and I owe her a great debt, along with others who have helped me. Tomorrow, my brother will be arriving with some friends of ours, I owe my life to them, and to repay their kindness I will shield them here, away from the dragons and the war"

Arngeir scratched his long bear slowly. Imogen gently tugged on Hiccups shirt sleeve, receiving a reassuring nod from him in reply. Finally, Arngeir bowed his head.

"Of course Dragonborn, if you deem this to wise, then we accept your judgement. They will be welcomed with open arms"

Imogen exhaled a sigh of relief, Hiccup bowing his head in return to the old master.

"Now, did you retrieve the horn?"

"I did" Hiccup replied, reaching into his bag and removing the horn. As he handed it to Arngeir, the old Greybeard smiled, wrapping his spindly fingers around the horn and spinning it slowly in his hands.

"Well done. You have now passed all the trials. It is time for us to recognize you formally as Dragonborn" said Arngeir, placing the horn carefully into a pedestal above the fire place, "We would speak to you. Stand between us, and prepare yourself. Few can withstand the unbridled Voice of the Greybeards. But you are ready?"

Hiccup walked into the centre of the room. The Greybeards slowly circled around him; no doubt this was going to get a bit rough, having all four of the Greybeards shout at him at once.

"I'm ready"

One by one, the Greybeards began to speak. Their shout began to circle around Hiccup, kicking up the dust from the un-swept floor. Sheltering his eyes, Hiccup stood firm, bracing himself.

**_LINGRAH KROSIS SARAAN STRUNDU'UL, VOTH NID BALAAN KLOV PRAAN NAU_**

**_NAAL THU'UMU, MU OFAN NII NU, DOVAHKIIN, NAAL SULEYK DO KAAN, NAAL SULEYK DO SHOR, AHRK NAAL SULEYK DO ATMORASEWUTH_**

The force of the shouts pounded him from almost every direction. Again and again the blasts of energy smashed into his body, his muscles struggled to keep him upright. Hiccup sucked in big gulps of air, the force of the shouts knocking the wind completely out of him.

**_MEYZ NU YSMIR, DOVAHSEBROM. DAHMAAN DAAR ROK_**

Finally, the shouts stopped, the entire room bathed in a brilliant white glow. The outlines of the Greybeards in front of him were blurred by the light. Gradually, the glow receded, the flames of the torched overtaking the brightness of the shouts, until the room was once more bathed in the firelight.

"Dovahkiin, you have tasted the Voice of the Greybeards, and passed through unscathed. High Hrothgar is open to you" Arngeir beamed.

"GAHH….that is…really something…that I'll never….get used to" Hiccup croaked in-between breathes, "What was that…..ceremony all about?"

"We spoke the traditional words of greeting to a Dragonborn who has accepted our guidance. The same words were used to greet the young Talos, when he came to High Hrothgar, before he became the Emperor Tiber Septim"

"What did you actually say?"

"Ah. I sometimes you forget you are not versed in the dragon tongue as we are." Arngeir chuckled softly, "This is a rough translation; Long has the Storm crown languished, with no worthy brow to sit upon. By our breath we bestow it now to you in the name of Kyne, in the name of Shor, and in the name of Atmora of Old. You are Ysmir now, the Dragon of the North, hearken to it."

"Pretty words" Hiccup said sarcastically, at last being able to stand up straight as the strength returned to his legs.

"We have nothing more to teach you Dragonborn, your skills are complete. Now, you must go and fulfil your destiny, to stop the dragons, and to restore peace to the world"

"Actually, there is something else you can do for me"

"Speak it Dragonborn"

"I need to learn the Shout used to defeat Alduin"

"What? Where did you learn of that? Who have you been talking to?" Arngeir asked in shock.

"Does it matter? There is a shout that can defeat Alduin isn't there. Can you teach it to me?"

"For matters of such gravity, we need to know where you stand, or who you stand with. If you wish to stand alone, so be it. If you wish for our help, you'll answer my question"

"Fine, I saw it on Alduin's wall, right in the centre, the ancient Nords using a shout to beat him"

"The Blades! Of course" Arngeir scoffed, "Who else could have shown you to that temple. They specialize in meddling in matters they barely understand. Their reckless arrogance knows no bounds. They have always sought to turn the Dragonborn from the path of wisdom. Have you learned nothing from us? Would you simply be a tool in the hands of the Blades, to be used for their own purposes?"

"Hey, they are helping me, I'm not their puppet. They want to stop the dragons as well, surely their help isn't a bad thing. And besides…." Hiccup climbed to his feet, smoothing out his clothes, "The Blades just want to defeat Alduin. Don't you?"

"What I want is irrelevant. This Shout was used once before, was it not? And here we are again. Have you considered that Alduin was not meant to be defeated? Those who overthrew him in ancient times only postponed the day of reckoning, they did not stop it. If the world is meant to end, so be it. Let it end and be reborn. Heed my warning, the Blades may say they serve the Dragonborn, but they do not. They never have."

"I'm not about to stand by and let the world end, now can you teach me this shout or not?!" Hiccup asked forcefully.

"No. Not now. Not until you return to the path of wisdom" Arngeir replied

"Fine, if you are not going to help me then I'll find out on my own, I'm finished here!" Hiccup yelled, turning on his hells and marching towards the doors of the temple. How could the Greybeards just sit and do nothing? They knew about the mysterious shout, he was sure of it. He marched past a startled Imogen, he hand upheld slightly in protest, but quickly lowered down when she saw the look in Hiccup's eyes. Hiccup had almost reached the doors when he heard Arngeir call out after him.

"Dragonborn...wait", Hiccup stopped and turned to face the old Master, a scowl still spread across his face at the old man, "Forgive me. I was...intemperate. I allowed my emotions to cloud my judgment. Master Einarth reminded me of my duty. The decision whether or not to help you is not mine to make."

"So….you can teach me the shout?" Hiccup asked, his temper calming.

"No. I cannot teach it to you because I do not know it. It is called "Dragonrend," but its Words of Power are unknown to us. We do not regret this loss. Dragonrend holds no place within the Way of the Voice. It was created by those who had lived under the unimaginable cruelty of Alduin's Dragon Cult. Their whole lives were consumed with hatred for dragons, and they poured all their anger and hatred into this Shout. When you learn a Shout, you take it into your very being. In a sense, you become the Shout. In order to learn and use this Shout, you will be taking this evil into yourself."

"If it can defeat a Dragon then I need to know about it, surely it can't be lost forever, someone must know it somewhere"

"Only Paarthurnax, the leader of our order, can answer that question, if he so chooses."

"You're leader?" Hiccup asked in surprise. In all the time he had been at the temple, he had never thought to ask if there were other Greybeards besides the four masters who lived there, "There are more of you?"

"Yes, Paarthurnax surpasses us all in his mastery of the Way of the Voice. He speaks to us only rarely, and never to outsiders."

"But I'm not an outsider, I'm the Dragonborn, how come you never told me about him?" Hiccup protested.

"Being allowed to see him is a great privilege, and you were not ready, you are still not ready. But thanks to the Blades, you now have questions that only Paarthurnax can answer"

"I have to go and speak with him, where can I find him?"

"He lives in seclusion on the very peak of the mountain" Arngeir replied, walking over to the window and gazing into the night sky. Hiccup followed and peered up into the darkness, the tip of the mountain masked by a thick fog above them, "For anyone else, reaching the peak of this mountain is impossible, but you have the gift of the Thu'um, use it to guide you. The path to Paarthurnax is perilous, not to be embarked upon lightly. Keep moving, stay focused on your goal, and you will reach the summit."

Just as Arngeir had finished speaking, Hiccup was already running through the temple, slamming through the back doors and crossing the rear courtyard. He didn't even bother to acknowledge Imogen on his way out, she would no doubt ask the Greybeards where he was going anyway. The night had rolled in, the air was still and heavy, and thick fog cloud blotted out the stars high above him. But Hiccup kept running, a small rocky patch led him away from the temple, climbing higher and higher up the mountain side.

As he climbed, the freezing fog wrapped around him like a blanket, the sights of the trees and boulders lay mysterious, hiding, looming out at him in a whitened haze, like the last minute from some half-forgotten dream. Hiccup held out his hand in front of him, watching it become partially obscured. Taking a deep breath, the cold attacking his lungs like a knife, he mustered his Thu'um, letting the energy surge though his body before it rolled from his tongue, echoing in the quit all around him.

**_"_****_LOK VAH KOOR!"_**

The shout twirled and twisted through the air, bright flashes of white and blue casting long shadows across the freshly fallen snow. The Fog in its path vaporised in seconds, leave the patch ahead completely clear and bathed in the icy gold glow of the moon light, penetrating its way through the even decreasing thickness of the fog.

For over an hour, Hiccup slogged his way up the mountain, using his Clear Skies shout over and over the disperse the fog. He drew closer and closer to the summit, the air becoming so thin that it was starting to become a struggle just to draw breath. His lungs burned from the combination of the freezing air, the shout and the lack of oxygen. His head throbbed as the continued up the path, until at last, he broke free from the last of the fog.

He could hardly believe his eyes.

Never before had he seen a sight like it. He stood atop the rocky surface as the wind swirled around him in an icy greeting on snow coated the mountain top. His eyes began to water as a wind whipped the hair across his face. He looked down at the dizzying drop, the sparkling lights far below him were like little candles floating in the blackest of oceans.

"Wow," he whispered to herself, his teeth chattering slightly, but his lips curving upward in gaiety, "So this is how it feels to stand on top of the world!"

**_"_****_Yes, it is quite Lotaniik, magnificent"_**

Hiccup almost leapt out of his skin as the deep voice sounded from behind him. He spun around, and the sight that met his gaze made his entire body go stiff. A dragon stood no more than 20 feet away, perched on top of a giant boulder. Its huge body and wings towered above him, almost blocking out the tip of the mountain completely. Its face was covered in horrific scars, some of which extended down his entire body. Clearly this one had been in some scraps over the years.

Hiccup looked on in horror as the dragon leered over him, his fingers fumbling for the handle of Nethersbane. The dragon suddenly climbed down from its perch and began walking towards him, the ground rumbling slightly as the beast crunched through the snow. Hiccup was finally able to grip the handle of Nethersbane, drawing the sword from his belt. The dragon stopped, glancing between the tip of the sword and Hiccup.

**_"_****_Drem Yo Lok. Greetings, wunduniik. I am Paarthurnax"_**


	27. How to be Dovahkiin Update

Hi Everyone,

I'm sure you are all bored of hearing me say this, but the next chapter of the story is in progress. A few people have messaged asking when it will be updated, but we are getting into the thick of the story now and I want to make sure every chapter is how I want it before posting, I don't want to rush things and give you guys a bad story to read.

On that note, with the sheer size of the story and my limited writing time, I am now looking for writers to help me. Whilst I will retain final creative control, anything that you contribute will be credited to you at the end of each chapter.

If you are interested on working on this story with me, then please send me a PM. There are a few segments of the next chapter still to be written so hopefully we can get the ball rolling.


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